Interview with Melanie Dickerson, author of The Merchant's Daughter

Melanie Dickerson is the author of two fairy tale retellings for young adults, The Healer's Apprentice (a retelling of Sleeping Beauty) and The Merchant's Daughter (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast). I reviewed both books and you can read my review of The Healer's Apprentice here and my review of The Merchant's Daughter here. To learn more about Melanie and her books, and to see the book trailers for both novels, you can visit her website.

Why did you decide to become a writer of historical fiction? Have you always loved history?

I always liked history, but there were always certain time periods that I liked more than others, and some that I loved. The Medieval time period I loved.

Why did you decide to set your fairy tale retellings in the Medieval era?

There were a lot of reasons. Many of the stories probably originated in the Medieval period, and they fit in well with the way life was in that period. Also, I love that time period, so it just seemed natural to set my stories in that time.

What kind of research did you do to bring to life the historical settings for The Healer's Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter?

I read some books on life in the middle ages, especially in Germany, while I was writing The Healer’s Apprentice, and I did a lot of searching on the internet for information. I read a lot of books on England in the 1300’s before I started writing The Merchant’s Daughter, and did a lot more research while I was writing the story. I try to check everything, to make sure I’m getting my facts straight. I consider that a big part of my job as a writer, and even though I know a lot about the period, I try not to assume that I know something, but double check to make sure.

Do you plan to write more fairy tale retellings? What is your own favorite fairy tale of all time?

I do have more fairy tale retellings in the works. So keep an eye out on my blog, website, and facebook page for announcements in the near future. :) And I think my favorite fairy tale has to be Beauty and the Beast. I love the theme of “love is blind” and character being more important than outward physical beauty.

What are some of your favorite books and authors?

I love all of Jane Austen’s books, and Pride and Prejudice is my favorite novel. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is another favorite, and I loved Rafael Sabatini’s books when I was a teen, especially The Sea Hawk. My favorite contemporary authors are Mary Connealy, Julie Lessman, Linore Burkard, Kate DiCamillo, and Ruth Axtell.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thanks for having me on your blog, Rebecca! I am excited about 2012 is bringing as far as my writing and future books. I hope you have a wonderful year, too! Happy reading!