I talked with historical fiction author Tony Riches about his latest book, Bess – Tudor Gentlewoman.

Forced to choose between loyalty and love, duty and desire, this is the story of Bess Raleigh, one of the last true Elizabethans.

What attracted you to writing about this period of history, Tony, and why Bess?

After the success of my Tudor Trilogy I decided to tell the entire story of the Tudors, from Owen Tudor’s first meeting with Queen Catherine of Valois to the last days of Queen Elizabeth and the end of the dynasty. Rather than write one book about the complex queen, I decided to show her through the eyes of three of her favourite men. Sir Francis Drake worshipped her as ‘Gloriana’, the Earl of Essex was like the son she never had, and Sir Walter Raleigh was the Captain of her Guard.

While researching these I became intrigued by three Elizabethan women who witness and influence many of the great events of the era. I decided to make the Elizabethan trilogy into a series of six books, and chose Baroness Penelope Rich, elder sister of the Earl of Essex, his wife, Countess Frances, and Lady Bess Raleigh. Each had a very different relationship with the queen, and I liked the ways their lives intersected as their circumstances changed.

I only knew Bess as the loyal wife of Sir Walter Raleigh, but found her story intriguing. Unlike the others, Bess came from a troubled family. Like most Elizabethan women, her education was limited to what she might need to run a household. I was impressed at how her phonetic spelling didn’t stop Bess writing to the most powerful men at court, such as Sir Robert Cecil. Most surprising of all was her loyalty to her husband, despite his many flaws.

Did you do any ‘site-based’ research for Bess – going to places that feature in her story?

I enjoy visiting the actual locations in my books to have an authentic sense of what it must have been like to live and work there. As part of my research I visited her home at Sherborne in Dorset. The present owner of Sherborne, Lady Maria Wingfield Digby, kindly gave me a personal guided tour, including Walter’s study, which is not usually open to the public. I also visited Walter Raleigh’s cell at the Tower of London, and it was amazing to climb the stairs exactly as he and Bess would have done so many times.

How do you go about your world-building? Describing food, clothes and other aspects of Elizabethan life?

I’ve been ‘immersed’ in the Elizabethan world for the last six years, working on my Elizabethan series. I particularly like finding primary sources, such as letters, which can be great for understanding the time and place. I also have a wonderful collection of books covering everything from Elizabethan food to the intricacies of fashion.

What are the difficulties or advantages you found in writing in series?

One of the challenges is to avoid repetition, so I try to show big events, such as the Spanish Armada, through the eyes of each different character. An advantage of a six book series is having the scope to show how relationships and lifelong friendships develop and shift over many years.

Can you tell us about your publishing process?

I was thrilled to have my first publishing deal with a big commercial publisher, but soon became disillusioned when I found how little control I had over the process. They did minimal marketing and I had no idea of the results of my own efforts to raise awareness. It took over three years to ‘disentangle’ myself from my contracts, but now I have complete control over every aspect – and double royalties.

I found a great editor, and my wife is a thorough proof reader. I use a wonderful tool called Vellum, which imports my edited manuscripts and produces perfect eBooks and paperbacks with a few clicks. I also found great book cover artists and use ACX for my audiobook production.

Does living where you do inspire your writing? If so, how?

I was born in Pembroke and still live twenty minutes from the magnificent castle where Henry Tudor was born. I’m also close to Carew Castle and Lamphey Palace, which feature in my books. I visit them regularly, so my writing is based on first-hand knowledge of the area. I also helped with the project to place a bronze statue of Henry, which has become a focal point for visitors.

What is the best writing advice you have to share?

People say they would like to write but never have the time. I once read that if you can write just one page a day, that’s a book a year.

Bess is the final book in your Tudor courtiers series. What’s next?

My last two books extend a little past the end of the Tudors into the rise of the Stuart dynasty, and I am now researching a new Stuart Trilogy, starting with a little known (and I think underestimated) Queen Consort, Anna of Denmark.

Congratulations on the new book and thank you for telling us about your writing practice.

Tony Riches is a full-time UK author of best-selling Tudor historical fiction. He lives in Pembrokeshire, West Wales and is a specialist in the history of the Wars of the Roses and the lives of the Tudors. For more information about Tony’s books please visit his website tonyriches.com and his blog, The Writing Desk and find him on Facebook, Twitter @tonyriches and Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tonyriches.bsky.social. You can find out more about his research on his popular podcast series, ‘Stories of the Tudors’.