Author in the picture: Geri Walton

Already from the start of my other blog - the Allaboutroyalfamilies blog - and my big
debut on Twitter 😃, I 'met' Geri Walton, an author and historian fascinated by
the 18th. and the 19th. century. 

She also wrote several books inter alia Napoleon's downfall, which I read and reviewed
on this blog. 

I was very happy that Geri Walton was interested to participate in an Author in the picture
blogpost, so here we go. 

The Questions & Answers

Hello Geri, Could you tell me more about you? Who is Geri Walton?

I am a historian of the 18th and 19th century and host of my own blog that
I established in mid-October 2013. Because of all the fascinating subjects
and people from these eras, I learned a lot while writing my blog and have
written four books that have a connection to France. These books are
"Marie Antoinette's Confidante" (a tale about the Princesse de Lamballe
who was a friend and superintendent of the household to Marie Antoinette),
"Madame Tussaud" (a story about the famous wax figure sculptress
who established Madame Tussaud’s wax museum and provided
her version of the French Revolution), 
"Napoleon's Downfall" (an account about a French socialite,
Madame Juliette Récamier, who butted heads with the Emperor Napoleon),
and my latest book, "Jane Austen's Cousin" (a story about Eliza de Feuillide
who married a French count, survived the French Revolution, and then
married her cousin Henry Austen).

How did you get involved with history?

I have always been fascinated by people and history. During high school,
I constantly read books related to people and history so it was inevitable that
when I went to college I would major in history.

Do you have other interests than history and writing?

I have several outside interests. One is gardening. I have a raised bed where
I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, radishes, tomatillos, onions,
hot peppers, and a dozen herbs. In addition, I like to cook and make everything
from chicken pot pies to braised ribs and luscious cookies and cakes.
I also began knitting when I was eight and find it a relaxing hobby.
I often knit while watching TV.

How do you start writing books? For ex. How do you choose your topics?

My interest is usually piqued by something I read while working on
my blog or reading tweets. Then, I start researching and decide whether
to write a book, which I do partly to learn more about the subject and
partly to satisfy my own curious nature.

Do you like to travel?

I love to travel and have visited Germany, France, Austria, and England.
Some of these trips were for pleasure and some of them were related to
the books I have written. For instance, when I wrote
“Marie Antoinette’s Confidante,” I travelled to the Chateau Rambouillet
in France to learn more about the chateau and estate because both the
Princesse de Lamballe and Marie Antoinette lived there. Then when
I wrote my book on Madame Tussaud, I visited London, England, as that
was the site of Madame Tussaud’s first wax museum. I have also travelled
throughout the U.S. and visited numerous historical sites on the east
and west coasts.

Which person(s) in history fascinate you the most?

There is no one person that I find fascinating. Rather I find the 1700 and 1800s
fascinating and like to learn about the lifestyle and insights of people from those
time periods. It is interesting to try and figure out how they saw the world, what
they worried about, and why they approached life the way they did.

Which events in history are special to you?

I like almost any event that happened in the 1700 or 1800s. For instance,
I have enjoyed learning about the revolutionary periods both in America and
France and have tried to understand what motivated people during those times.
I also like the Victorian Era because it was such a time of reform and
improvement, families were also a dominate feature, and religion and morality
became a battleground among agnostics, free thinkers, and theologians.
In addition, so many interesting people of the 1700 and 1800s
(such as Queen Victoria, George Washington, Napoleon Bonaparte,
Benjamin Franklin, or Louis XVI) changed the world. I find that
I am always learning something new whenever I study the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries.

Do you have a daily routine?

I have a loose routine where I schedule my Facebook posts and tweets
for Twitter each morning. Then I spend four to five hours writing. Sometimes
extra material from a book becomes a blog post and sometimes a blog post
I’ve already written ends up becoming part of a book.

I always end with the same question: what are your wishes
for yourself and the world?

I am extremely grateful that my immediate family and I survived the pandemic
despite my father-in-law succumbing to Covid. With everything returning to normal
in the U.S., and as more and more people around the world get Covid vaccinations
and as covid cases go down, I hope everyone will realize how blessed they are
to be alive. I know that I am taking more time to appreciate the many wonderful
blessings that I enjoy.

Thank you 

Thank you very much Geri Walton for this interview and your participation in 
your author in the picture blogpost. 

Good luck with the publication of your new book(s) and keep me updated!

Where to follow Geri Walton?

You can read more about Geri Walton on ther website:
https://www.geriwalton.com/ .