Author Ben Kane was born in Kenya, courtesy of the fact that his father was working there as a veterinarian. Much later, after a three-month solo trip along part of the ancient Silk Road, a visit to the ruins of Merv, in Turkmenistan, prompted his interest in the Roman campaign into Parthia in 53 BC. The rest, as they say, is history.
Eleven of Ben’s novels have been Sunday Times bestsellers. His most recent release, King, is the third novel in his Richard the Lionheart series. The story begins at the end of the Third Crusade when Jerusalem remains in the Saracens’ hands, and a peace treaty is agreed with their leader Saladin. Richard the Lionheart is finally free to travel to England and restore peace to his kingdom, under threat from his treacherous brother John. However, the epic journey will test every limit of his endurance as it takes him deeper into lands controlled by his enemies. He is ultimately captured near Vienna, imprisoned for three years, which further fans the flames of unrest in England and beyond. If he finally returns home, what will remain of his kingdom? And what deadly price must he pay to restore order?
MKT: How do your more recent novels differ from earlier novels, particularly the first few novels you wrote?
Ben Kane: I think they’re much better written for a start, but then you’d hope so after nineteen books! I’ve also been writing novels in different time periods to the ancient world.
MKT: How has your writing process evolved since your first years as an author?
Ben: See my answer to the above! I am a more skilful writer now, thanks to two very, very tough editors over my first eleven novels. The first editor used to literally use a red pen as she edited. I had to rewrite 25% of my second novel, twice, and had a rewrite on my fourth novel that took me three months. The bottom line was that I learned a huge amount, for which I am now grateful! I learned so much, especially how to self-edit, and how to develop characters and motives.
I also started walking dressed and armed as a Roman legionary, eventually covering over 500 miles, and Hadrian’s Wall (twice). This informed my writing in a big way, a lot more than I had expected.
MKT: Has your readership changed over time? Do you have any insights on why your readership has or has not changed?
Ben: I don’t actually know if it’s changed. I’m not aware that it has. It’s about 80% male, 20% female, from memory.
MKT: How have changes in the publishing landscape affected your writing or your success?
Oh yes, big time. I was lucky enough to be published in 2008, when ‘sword and sandals’ type historical fiction took off in a big way. I had Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller after bestseller, including many in the top five. Publishers always over publish a genre or sub genre when it gets popular, however, cf. vampires/erotic fiction and so on. It duly happened, and in 2015, sales fell off a cliff.
This happened for other reasons, I think, such as the rise of the smartphone, and people reading less. I don’t know for sure, but my sales, as well as those of my colleagues in historical fiction (not just the ancient world) dropped massively. Over the next few years, my income halved. Thankfully, they stabilised over the last 4-5 years, and have gone up in areas like audio. I’m still here too, and contracted for five books, three of which I have written. I’m still a fulltime author. The same can’t be said for many others, sadly. I have diversified what I do, however, also working as a guide for tours to Pompeii, Rome and so on. I have run several successful Kickstarter campaigns for my readers, writing a novella when the target is reached.
MKT: Has there been a fork in the road that changed your writing? Some event, person, book or whatever that has changed what you write?
Ben: Not so much a fork in the road, no, but I am influenced by authors whose books I love. I do my best to improve my writing all the time, to learn from the books I read. Authors whom I look up to are Mary Renault (she wrote *the* best historical fiction that was ever written, and may ever be written, in my opinion) and Christian Cameron, who writes the most extraordinary books set in ancient Greece.
MKT: Have you tried different eras? If so, to what effect?
Ben: As I mentioned previously, I’ve now written about the medieval period (the Lionheart trilogy), Napoleonic (Napoleon’s Spy, covering Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812) and Viking Ireland (Stormcrow).
MKT: Have you tried a different genre? If so, which genre and to what effect?
Ben: Not yet, but I have THE most amazing idea which I plan to write about this autumn when I have finished my contracted novel. I won’t say which time period, sorry, just that it’s an amazing idea with a ‘straight to Hollywood’ badge on it.
MKT: What kind of historical fiction appeals to you as a reader?
Ben: Sad to say, I am losing interest in reading historical fiction. I think it’s because it’s my day job! I do like authors like Natalie Haynes, however, and when I get the time, I read her books.
Many thanks, Ben. It’s inspiring to read about your career as an author.
I recently read the first of your trilogy on Richard the Lionheart and can appreciate first hand why you have so many fans. I found it intriguing to see how you wove the voices of Ferdia and William Marshal together to tell the story of Richard’s father – Henry II – and the treachery of Richard’s brothers.
King by Ben Kane ~ Richard the Lionheart #3
The thrilling adventure story about history’s greatest Richard the Lionheart Autumn 1192. At the end of the Third Crusade Jerusalem remains in the Saracens’ hands, and a peace treaty is agreed with their leader Saladin. Richard the Lionheart is finally free to travel to England and restore peace to his kingdom, under threat from his treacherous brother John. However, the epic journey will test every limit of his endurance as it takes him deeper into lands controlled by his enemies. He is ultimately captured near Vienna, imprisoned for three years, which further fans the flames of unrest in England and beyond. If he finally returns home, what will remain of his kingdom? And what deadly price must he pay to restore order?
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M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel THAT WAS THEN is a contemporary thriller. Mary’s other novels, THE ADMIRAL’S WIFE, PARIS IN RUINS, TIME AND REGRET, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook or on her website www.mktod.com.
