Since she has written several books about this interesting time period, I thought
it was an excellent idea to invite her on the blog.
Can you tell me more about yourself? Who is Catherine Curzon?
Who is Madame Gilflurt?
Catherine Curzon is a gal who lives up a steep hill in Yorkshire and
writes books about eighteenth century history. My shadow is a little dog named
Pippa, and we have a passion for history and classic Hollywood cinema, reflected
in my Master’s in Film. I’m also half of novelist Ellie Curzon, author of the
bestselling Under a Spitfire Sky, which was published by Orion, and its follow-up
The Codebreaker Girls. Madame Gilflurt was the name I came up with nearly a
decade ago when I wanted to launch my online presence, and thought a smart
Georgian nickname would be a good way to do it. Gilflurt is a bit of Georgian
cant, meaning a minxish woman!
How did your interest in History started?
I’ve told this story a lot, but my love for history was nurtured by my grandad.
He lived in a tiny cottage on the edge of Sherwood Forest and was a born
storyteller. By the time I was in primary school I thought Byron’s ghost haunted
the pub and Dick Turpin had a camp out in the woods! When I was five years old he
told me about Marie Antoinette losing her head and that was the clincher –
I was hooked!
How did you begin your blog/website? Do you have tips for new bloggers?
I thought my husband was getting a bit tired of my sharing historical titbits with him,
so I decided to share them with a wider audience instead. That was how the blog
came to be, and it’s since evolved into a place where I post my news and bits and bobs,
such as tour dates for Being Mr Wickham and the like. The main bit of advice I can give
is to keep at it, and make friends. The history community can be very welcoming,
and really nurturing too.
Why do you have such an interest in the Georgian era?
Essentially because of the bloody tales my grandad loved to tell. He really brought
the adventure of the era to life, and captured my young imagination. When he
told stories of the eighteenth century, it really did feel as though anything could
happen. It’s a very relatable time in many ways too, and its obsession with
celebrity and gossip is familiar to anyone who uses social media today, I think.
5/ How do you start researching for new books?
How for example do you chose a topic?
I specialise in bitesize biographies of Georgian royalty, so there are plenty of
wonderful candidates to choose from. I don’t so much choose a topic as meet
a character in the course of my research who simply won’t sit down. A good
example of that was Sophia, Electress of Hanover. When I wrote
Kings of Georgian Britain and its follow-up about George I’s doomed marriage,
which ended in adultery and murder, Sophia was a major supporting character.
She was the mother of George I and had Stuart blood in her veins, so was a
fascinating character in her own right. As her part in George I’s story got
bigger and bigger, I knew that she had to have her own book.
That became Sophia: Mother of Kings. The same is true for
Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who has become familiar to
Bridgerton fans lately, but has been a major supporting player in my
non-fiction works from the very first, Life in the Georgian Court.
I’ve just finished her biography, which will be released by
Pen & Sword in 2022, and it’s been a real privilege to spend time with her.
Do you have favourite characters/royals/persons/events in history?
Which ones?
This is a really difficult question for me, because there are just so many.
I’ll narrow it down to a favourite Georgian royal if I may, and choose
Electress Sophia, the founder of the dynasty in so many ways, and a woman
to be reckoned with. She missed out on being queen of the United Kingdom
by a matter of weeks, and I truly believe she is the finest queen we never had.
I also have a soft spot for George IV, but for all the wrong reasons. As a friend
or husband he would’ve been a nightmare, but as a figure who perfectly sums
up the most grotesquely opulent excesses of the era, he takes some beating.
Have you other hobbies or passions than history and writing?
I have a Master’s degree in film and a passion for Golden Age cinema.
I spend so much time in front of screens that I need to keep my fresh air
topped up, and Pippa and I walk as much as we are able. We’re fortunate to
live among some beautiful countryside, and there’s never any shortage of
fresh air. I also love the theatre and my own play, Being Mr Wickham,
goes on tour in the autumn. I wrote the show with Adrian Lukis, who played
Wickham in the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and returns to
the role in our play, to lift the lid on Wickham at 60.
How does a typical (writing) day look like?
A typical writing day isn’t too exciting, but it is generally pretty productive,
and that’s what matters. I get up early and walk Pippa after Mr C has gone to
work, then we eat breakfast before I head upstairs to my office and knuckle down.
Essentially I try to keep office hours as much as I can, otherwise I’m the sort of
person who could easily find themselves still happily writing away at 4am!
I’ll usually work at home or in our gorgeous village café until Mr C finishes work,
then take Pippa for a walk to meet him. The three of us will then go for a cuppa or
a bit more of a stroll if the weather is fine, then spend the evening relaxing as
much as possible. Writing is my full-time job, and in the past I’ve been guilty
of not giving myself time off. I’ve learned to be much better at that now –
when you’re working for yourself, you have to remember to look after
yourself too!
Do you have other plans for new books?
The Wives of George IV, the true story of Maria Fitzherbert and
Queen Caroline, will be out before Christmas. Next year will see the
release of my Queen Charlotte biography and also a tie-in book for
fans of Bridgerton, which will pull back the sheets on some of the era’s
sauciest scandals. After that There’ll also be exciting things happening
for Ellie Curzon, and Being Mr Wickham too, as well as lots more history!
I always end with the same question. What do you wish for yourself and
for the world?
A contented and smiling future.
Thank you very much for participating in your Author in the picture blogpost on
MyCrazyLifeWithBooks Blog.
I'm looking forward to read your books and to follow your stories on Twitter!
If you want to know more about Catherine Curzon and Madame Gilflurt here
are some interesting pages and links!
Links
www.catherinecurzon.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Mistresses-of-George-I-and-II-Hardback/p/19112
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Catherine-Curzon/a/2720
https://twitter.com/madamegilflurt
https://www.facebook.com/madamegilflurt
