The couple had at least nine children together, and during the time that Hugh was the king?s favorite, Eleanor was put into positions of trust by him and the king. After Hugh?s death Eleanor had him depicted in stained glass at Tewkesbury Abbey. It doesn?t seem that she would have made that gesture if she hadn?t cared for him.
Juanita: What statements does ?The Traitor?s Wife? make of loyalty?
Susan: It?s a central issue in the novel. The characters run the gamut from those like Edward, whose loyalty to his friends is all-encompassing and ultimately destroys him, to those like Isabella, who turns against her husband and comes very close to turning against her own son. In between are a whole host of people who have to choose where to put their allegiances, some out of conscience, some out of expedience, and who sometimes pay a heavy price for their choices.
Juanita: ?The Traitor?s Wife? is a historical fiction. How much and what type of research did you undertake to prepare you for writing your novel?
Susan: I read pretty much everything I could find in English related to the reign of Edward II.
legend of the seeker
