“I was reading The Year 1000 to see if it could tell me something I didn’t know about the turn of the eleventh century, in order to use it for The Seven Noble Knights of Lara. (Lots of the atmosphere, none of the history can transfer.) A passing mention of the mysterious, fascinating Queen Emma made me think, “Someone should write a novel about her!” The following week, Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell came out. It is that novel.” Jessica Knauss