Ask the Author: Kate Innes
Answered Questions (3)
Kate Innes
I've just been stocking up on books to take on holiday, and started with 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers - which has such a wonderful reputation. The fact that it is about trees made it irresistible. I've decided to take along 'The Five' by Hallie Rubenhold - and to be brave in confronting the horror of what these victims of Jack the Ripper went through. The perpetrator has taken all the publicity - the victims have been forgotten or tarred as 'loose women'. Good to redress the balance. I'll also take along a couple of light reads - in case it all gets a bit much. Any recommendations?
Kate Innes
I trained as an archaeologist originally, and I do find that it is the every day objects and buildings that people used long ago, as well as the beautiful detailed paintings from centuries past which really fire my imagination.
Kate Innes
There were two things that prompted the story. The first was a small female stone effigy (a type of tombstone) of a woman holding a book, dated to the late 13th century, which is in our local village church. This was probably a heart burial. It was quite common in medieval times for nobles to have organs buried separately, in a place of importance to the deceased. It struck me that the depiction of the plainly dressed woman, smiling and clutching her book expressed very clearly the understanding of books as unique and powerful objects that people had at that time.
The other starting point was a manuscript that I found on a British Library website, a description of the torture and death of the 4th century Saint Margaret. These manuscripts were used as birthing aids, as St Margaret was said to be the patron saint of childbirth. The paintings of the saint are smudged from women repeatedly kissing the image of the saint to beg for a safe delivery of their baby. I found this very intriguing and moving, and knew at once that it was going to be a crucial part of the book.
The other starting point was a manuscript that I found on a British Library website, a description of the torture and death of the 4th century Saint Margaret. These manuscripts were used as birthing aids, as St Margaret was said to be the patron saint of childbirth. The paintings of the saint are smudged from women repeatedly kissing the image of the saint to beg for a safe delivery of their baby. I found this very intriguing and moving, and knew at once that it was going to be a crucial part of the book.
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