Meet Our Authors
“The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.” – Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parlement of Foules
Poor Chaucer! He knew that our short lives barely give us time to learn the intricacies of the craft. In The Parliament of Fowls, the poem that turned Valentine’s Day into a celebration of romance, our friend Geoffrey portrays himself as a novice in Love, attempting to learn from books how to be a player in Medieval England. He has a dream in which he is promised to see “matter of to write” — a sort of “those who can, do, and those who can’t, write about it” consolation philosophy.* The poems highlights how much Chaucer (the real Chaucer, not the slightly foolish character of the poem) owed to other authors for both his subject matter and his skill.
Collegial conversations with contemporary creators are as important now as they were in the 1300s. In Regal House’s series of interviews, That’s My Story, talented novelists, poets, essayists, and memoir-writers share their thoughts on reading and writing, techniques and craft, the high points and troughs that compose the process of creating a literary work. These interviews are intended to spark lively discussions among our authors, their readers, and the larger literary community. We hope you’ll join our on-line parliament and add your voice and thoughts to the exchange.
Read on for the beginning of the confabulation and a behind-the-scenes acquaintance with the creators of Regal House’s publications. Just write “that’s my story” in the search box below, and our author interviews will instantly materialize right below this introductory post. Enjoy!
* We needn’t feel too sorry for Chaucer. He was a successful poet, was attached to the royal court, was a diplomat (and possibly a spy), married the sister of John of Gaunt’s mistress/third wife, AND he got to have Paul Bettany play him in The Knight’s Tale. Personally, I think he did pretty well for himself.
Ruth Feiertag is a senior editor at Pact Press, Fitzroy Books, and Regal House Publishing. She is also the owner of PenKnife Writing and Editorial Services, LLC. She has worked as an editor, proofreader, and tutor for over thirty years, and writes literary criticism on Medieval and Renaissance English literature.
