Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Rose Prendeville

What inspired you to write “The Unknown Birds”?

Prendeville: The earliest kernel of an idea came from watching the second season of Downton Abbey, when I got the idea for a character running off to fight in WWI who wasn’t supposed to be there. The show did a really beautiful job of depicting the myriad of feelings about the war—the fervor to not be left out, the desire for self preservation, and I found that a really intriguing plot device. 

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Prendeville: For Ash, I wanted a deliberately ambiguous name. I started with Ashley, because it used to be a first name for boys, and now it’s more common for girls, but it also works as a surname. For her first name, I also wanted something that could work both ways so that she wouldn’t have to change her entire identity, and I wanted to name her after the poet Charles Hamilton Sorley, who was a big inspiration while writing the book. So using Charlotte (Charley) and Charles for the twins worked perfectly. Rook was always just Rook. I can’t remember a reason. Maybe because he was a solid, protective figure. 

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Prendeville: This book is the book of my heart but every minute was unlike my usual process. I started writing it 13 years ago, and 6 years later I put it down for good, and I was devastated. A friend of mine, Jennifer Iacopelli, says that no book is ever truly dead, and I have to say she’s absolutely right. Last year I figured out how to finally make this the book it was always meant to be, and I’m so happy with how it turned out. 

When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to break yourself out of it?

Prendeville: It depends if I can identify the reason for the block. Am I actually just burned out? Then I try to do something fun that will work a different part of my brain: Lego or paint-by-number or coloring. Am I actually just empty? Refill the well by reading or watching TV. I write to an outline, so I’ve usually done a lot of prep work before I start, which means often the block is during the outlining. If it’s just a problem with the story and I don’t know what comes next, I try to write through it. I think about it in the shower. I go for a walk or a drive and work through a bit of dialogue. I talk to my characters and ask them questions and let them talk to me and usually I can find the way through. 

What’s the weirdest or most unexpected place you’ve gotten a story idea from?

Prendeville: From the title, I suppose. When I was thinking of titles for my Highland historical series, I didn’t know what the 3rd book was going to be about but Maggie & the Pirate’s Son popped into my head, and I loved it. I chose the font for the covers because it looked piratey. So when it came time to write it, I realized I either had to write a pirate story, which I’d never planned on, or change the title. Plots are easier than titles, so I decided I was writing a pirate story! And it was so much fun to write. 

What is your favorite genre, book, and/or author?

Prendeville: Favorite genre is historical romance. My favorite book changes with the weather, but if I have to pick one I would probably say Miranda Dubner’s The Spare. It’s the one I’ve reread the most. My favorite author… you know… I would say Melina Marchetta shaped me as a writer quite a lot in my early days.

What are you working on next?

Prendeville: I’m taking it slow because I got really burned out this year, but I’m writing a time travel romance set in the Napoleonic Wars and I’m having the absolute time of my life. 

Learn More About the Author and The Unknown Birds here:

Instagram: @rose_prendeville

Interested in submitting your book for review? Visit my review page for guidelines and submission requirements.

review