TitleTales

Interview: Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance ranks among the top-ten bestselling fiction books in history, with more than 20 million copies sold through early 2002. In addition to many awards and accolades, she was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America, April 2003. Her 25th book, Breaking the Rules was released in October 2009.

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BWI: This fall marks the 30th anniversary of A Woman of Substance. Are there ways you would have changed the story if you were writing it now?

BTB: No, I doubt very much that I would change the story. Why tamper with a good thing? However, if I were writing A Woman of Substance now, I might certainly create some other businesses for Emma to develop. After all, she was an entrepreneur and perhaps she might have a website for Hartes store; maybe she would have an online range of clothing and products. She was already in advance of her time in as much as she owned and ran newspapers, magazines and had radio stations and a TV network. But of course, let’s face it, this story was about a strong woman and her companies were not as important as she was.

BWI: Readers find Emma Harte—and her true granddaughters and great-granddaughters—very strong women. Was this unusual in novels when you first wrote A Woman of Substance? What characteristics make strong women?

BTB: When I wrote A Woman of Substance, I don’t believe there was any other author writing about strong women. In fact you could say that I invented the genre. I remember thinking when I was creating Emma that in a lot of the big bestsellers of that period many of the books were written by men… the women they created were either whores or madonnas! The characteristics that make strong women are: Drive, Determination, Discipline, Ambition, and such things as dedication, loyalty, generosity of spirit and the ability to compromise.

BWI: What prompted you to make Breaking the Rules another episode of the Harte Family Saga? When you chose to do so, did you remember all the characters as if they were family, or do you re-read your previous work or notes?

BTB: I wrote the new Harte novel Breaking the Rules to satisfy my readers. I have been receiving over the last few years demands for another book about the family, and, most especially there were questions about Jonathan Ainsley and what happened to him. But in any case, the Hartes have become iconic with all of my many fans and so I knew that another book about their family—but with a whole set of new characters—would be appealing. I do remember all the characters as if they were my family… and in fact they are in a sense. So, of course I just went ahead and wrote this story, and the only thing I occasionally had to check were certain facts about them like their ages. I did dip into some of the recent “modern” Harte books just to make sure that I had all my timelines correct.

BWI: How do the years you spent as a journalist support your work as a novelist? Did you miss working as a journalist?

BTB: I have always thought that my years as a journalist were good training. I especially knew the importance of meeting a deadline. And that has always stayed with me. I also learned how to do research and equally understood the importance of details. My first news editor told me the famous phrase: Who? Where? When? What? How? These were the guidelines for writing a news story. I believe they work extremely well for telling a story in a novel. And they do!

BWI: Do you consider yourself a romance author? Are there other authors you would suggest to readers who enjoy your work?

BTB: No. I do not consider myself a romance author. However, there are romantic episodes in my books because the men and women do have romantic encounters and relationships. But I am telling a much wider story. Almost always about a woman who goes out and conquers the world. One of my favorite authors is Bernard Cornwell, who writes about English history. I find his books hard to put down. Another writer I enjoy is Pat Conroy who writes mostly books set in the Carolinas and the South.

BWI: Have you considered writing a memoir or autobiography? What do you think would be the highlights?

BTB: Yes, I have often thought about writing an autobiography. And I might do so one day. Many extraordinary things have happened to me and I have a good tale to tell, I think. Incidentally, there is a book out at this moment called The Woman of Substance and it is an authorized biography written about me by Piers Dudgeon.

BWI: What do you think explains the appeal of your books? Do you think that appeal has changed in our post-9/11 world?

BTB: I think my books appeal to readers because I am telling a good story, usually about a woman who starts out in a very ordinary way and goes on to do extraordinary things. People, especially women of all ages, find my protagonists inspiring and also think of them as role models. I believe that my main characters and even the lesser ones are very empathetic. This aside, I think I create a sense of time and place in the novels, as well as atmosphere. I do not think that the appeal has changed in our post 9/11 world. In fact, I believe that the qualities I give to my strong women are perfect for this time we live in. Strength of character, stamina, integrity, and all the things I mentioned earlier are traits we all need today.

BWI: In an era of reporting all aspects of a public life (for example the popularity and then the trials of Brittany Spears,) do you think people still strive for fame or celebrity? Do young people still find glamour in becoming a model or actress? Does this come in and out of fashion?

BTB: I do believe that young women still want to become models, or actresses. Obviously, this springs from their ambition and their need to use the talents they possess. Certainly, I don’t think the desire for fame or celebrity has gone away.

BWI: Do you have a favorite character from your books? Has your husband expressed a favorite? Will you tell us who Emma Harte is modeled on? Or the villainous Jonathan Ainsley? You had a video interview in which you tell about the creation of Jack Figg. Will you please tell our readers about him?

BTB: Of course Bob and I both love Emma Harte because she was so inspiring. And my husband is not the only man who admires her; many other men do as well. As an author, I have many other characters from other books who I love, but then I think that is very normal. Emma Harte is not based on anybody who has lived. She was created in my imagination and sprang to life very quickly in my head. I have always admired strong women such as Elizabeth Tudor, Catherine the Great, Madame Curie, Margaret Thatcher and others too numerous to mention them all! So, yes, Emma is a product of my imagination with a few of my own characteristics thrown in. The villain, Jonathan Ainsley is also a product of my imagination, and he had changed and evolved through the years! Another character who captures everybody’s interest is Jack Figg. It’s odd how he came about. I had created the head of Hartes security in my mind and as I sat there writing I needed a name. I thought I’d call him Jack Figg. This is the name of the husband of a friend of mine in England, Billie Figg. After I'd written the whole section, I'd felt rather pleased that the character had developed so well. Later, it occurred to me that I should ask permission to use Jack’s name. They didn’t object, and in fact, after Anthony Hopkins was cast in To Be the Best (the miniseries) Jack told me he was thrilled to be the original Jack Figg. All this aside, he has become a favorite character with so many readers.

BWI: Many of your novels were filmed and you have an extensive online presence. What would you like to share about these productions? Did you have clues how successful some of the actors, like Liam Neeson, would become? Was there someone who really captured the portrayal of one of your characters?

BTB: All of the productions of the movies made of my books have been excellent. And I have always loved the casting. I thought Deborah Kerr and Jenny Seagrove playing Emma Harte at different stages in her life were fabulous. I remember seeing Jenny running across the moors the first time I saw the film, and I though: “She is Emma.” Jenny was perfect as the young Emma and Deborah as the older woman. The first time I saw Liam Neeson act, I knew how great he was. I was convinced he was going to be a big star. And indeed he is. Like Deborah Kerr and Jenny Seagrove, he was perfect in his role. The ultimate Blackie O’Neil. This particular miniseries was well cast and I particularly liked Barry Bostwick playing Paul McGill; and many of the smaller roles were filled by great character actors who added to the overall excellence of this production. I love Anthony Hopkins as Jack Figg in To Be the Best. Stephen Collins in Remember, as well as Hold the Dream. James Brolin, Lindsay Wagner, Elizabeth Hurley and Donna Mills were all perfect in the roles they played. I could say that almost all of the actors who took parts in the productions captured the characters I had created very well.

BWI: What do you like to read? Can you share what you are reading now?

BTB: I love reading mysteries by such writers as Ruth Rendell, and PD James. Equally, I enjoy historical novels by Bernard Cornwell, who writes wonderful fiction based on English history. I’ve also become a fan of a writer called Conn Iggulden, who wrote a wonderful series based on Caesar and Roman history. His second series on Genghis Khan has been really engrossing to read. I enjoy nonfiction books as well as novels. I’ve just been reading a book called Power of the Dog by Les Krantz, which fascinated me because I have two dogs.

BWI: Thank you for taking the time to talk to BWI.

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