Page 22 - Reader's HouseMagazine - Issue 62

authority of sorts for the reader,” she says. “I try to stay cognizant of that by sticking close to the historical thread, though I’ll wander a bit where it serves the story.” This philosophy allows her to fit characters naturally into their environments, ensuring that their motivations and emotions are grounded in the actual cultur- al landscape of their time.
The Dual Identity of a Storyteller
King’s body of work is famously split be- tween two identities. As Susan King, she pens historical romances that blend adventure with the “happily-ever-after” arc. As Susan Fraser King—a name chosen to honor her Highland ancestors and satisfy a more “academic” branding—she explores mainstream historical fiction.
The distinction goes beyond simple genre labels. Her mainstream novels are often longer and more complex, following the verifiable chronology of real historical figures. Perhaps her most daunting task was reclaiming the character of Lady Macbeth from the long shadow of William Shakespeare.
“Writing about the actual Lady Macbeth was a bit scary, given the Shakespearean elephant in the room,” King admits. However, by following “historical breadcrumbs” and sparse Latin documents, she discovered a woman who bore little resemblance to the dramatic villainess of the stage. The “factual landscape” revealed a queen who was substantive and real, rising far above the tropes of tragedy.
Hands-On History
King’s commitment to authenticity often leads her out of the library and into the field. Her research is famously experiential; she
has taken lessons in falconry, Celtic harp,
and archery to better understand the physical realities of her characters. “I once trained in catching arrows to learn how it could be done,” she recalls—a testament to the lengths she will go to for a single scene’s accuracy.
These journeys often lead to “lightning
bolt” moments of discovery. While studying genealogy charts, King noticed a naming pattern that allowed her to rename her Lady Macbeth “Gruadh,” moving away from the phonetically clunky “Gruoch” found in Latin texts. On another occasion, a rainy afternoon in Dunfermline led her to a local historian who pointed out the legendary burial site of the “bits o’ Wallace.” These specific, local details—items that can’t be found in standard textbooks—give her novels their distinctive “fresh angle.”
Breathing Life into the Past
At the heart of King’s novels are her hero- ines: strong, intelligent women who navigate the treacherous social and political waters of their eras. Rather than superimposing modern sensibilities onto the past, King lets her charac- ters emerge from the research itself.
One of her most effective tools for charac- terization is language. To capture the essence of a medieval Scot without making the prose impenetrable, she uses “flavoring”—incorpo- rating Gaelic phrase structures into dialogue rather than thick dialects. “I’m very careful with Scots,” she notes with a touch of wit. “A little goes a long way!”
The Enduring Impression
Ultimately, Susan King’s work is a testament to the idea that history is not a static collection of dates, but a living, breathing tapestry. By blending the rigor of a scholar with the heart of a romantic, she ensures that her stories do more than just transport readers to the past—they leave a lasting impression on how we under- stand the people who came before us.
In her hands, the medieval world loses its “fairytale” distance and becomes a place of recognizable human struggle, hope, and resil- ience. As she continues to weave her historical threads, King reminds us that while the settings may be centuries old, the search for truth and connection remains timeless.
Academic Foundation:
How a background in art history and medieval studies provides the structural blue- print for her novels.
The “Two” Susans:
The creative and branding differences between writing as Susan King and Susan Fraser King.
Debunking Shakespeare:
The fascinating process of stripping away dramatic fiction to find the real woman behind Lady Macbeth.
Experiential Research:
King’s hands-on approach,
including learning falconry and the physical mechanics of catching arrows.
The Dunfermline Discov- ery: A rainy afternoon in
Scotland that led to uncov- ering local legends about William Wallace.
“A WRITER IN NONFICTION OR FICTION BECOMES AN AUTHORITY OF SORTS FOR THE READER, AND I TRY TO STAY COGNIZANT OF THAT BY STICKING CLOSE TO THE
HISTORICAL THREAD.”
22 II Reader’s House
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