For millennia, men have told the legend of the woman whose face launched a thousand ships—but now it’s time to hear her side of the story. Daughters of Sparta is a tale of secrets, love, and tragedy from the women behind mythology’s most devastating war, the infamous Helen and her sister Klytemnestra.
We chat with author Claire Heywood about her debut novel Daughters of Sparta, writing, book recommendations and more!
Hi, Claire! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! Well I’m currently living in Bristol (UK), and I wrote my debut novel, Daughters of Sparta, after finishing my masters degree in Ancient Visual and Material Culture at the University of Warwick. I’ve had a few jobs between then and now – one of which was as a tour guide at the Roman Baths museum in Bath. I’m a nerd about books, films, games, and all things ancient! Besides writing, I spend a lot of time putting my random knowledge to use in competitive quizzes.
How is your 2021 going in comparison to that other year?
To be honest it’s not been that different! Anti-social seclusion almost feels like the natural state for a writer. Saying that, I was working in a very people-focused customer service job pre-Covid, so it’s definitely been a culture shock, but I’m thrilled to be writing full time now and have spent the last year working on my next book.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
I think the first ‘adult’ book I read was The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, when I was maybe 10. I’m sure a lot of the more subtle humour went over my head but I remember finding it very amusing, and Pratchett has continued to be one of my writing heroes.
I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was young, and I was most inspired by fantasy series initially – Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, Mary Hoffman, Trudi Canavan, Philip Reeve…
One I can’t stop thinking about is Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. I read it a few years ago and still get sad thinking about poor Jude.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
In elementary school. I remember having a lesson where we were supposed to write a story, and I got so into it that I took it home to finish. I brought the finished story back into school and my teacher read it out loud for the class at story time. Everyone listened and it was the first time I knew people could be interested in what I had written.
Your debut novel Daughters of Sparta is your debut novel and it’s out June 22nd! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Historical, mythological, emotional, immersive, tragic.
What can readers expect?
It’s a feminist retelling of the Trojan War from the perspectives of Helen and her sister Klytemnestra. Expect a fresh take on an ancient story, blending historical authenticity and emotional realism with one of the greatest, grandest tales ever told.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
I think the key challenge with any debut novel is getting it finished, even though you don’t know whether anyone will read it. You have to be disciplined, but it also helps to set a realistic self-imposed deadline, and to tell people you are doing it so that you’re motivated to do what you said you were going to do.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I always enjoy doing research, as I love learning, and in particular I liked learning about the food my characters might have eaten, or the everyday objects they used, or the type of clothes/jewellery they wore etc. I find tangible history so interesting because it’s so direct – we dig up these things from the ground and we know that someone, three thousand years ago, has used it or worn it or treasured it.
What do you love about mythology?
I love that the stories are endlessly rich and varied, covering all sorts of human experience as well as fantastical happenings. Mythology also evolves over time and with every retelling – you can see this in the ancient world, with various different versions of the same myth being circulated, often simultaneously. And that’s what makes it so ripe for retelling. These myths are never just one story about one person and neither are they set in stone. You can hold up a new lens or change the angle, and suddenly a whole new story emerges.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I wanted to be a writer from the age of 12 or so, and I wrote various stories, plays and poems as I was going through school – but never anything I was intending to publish. I knew that becoming a professional author was probably a pipe dream, but in the back of my mind the thought was always there – if I could choose to do anything with my life, I would be a writer. So when I graduated from university I made a deal with myself that before I started pursuing a ‘sensible’ career I would give writing a go. I took a sort of gap year, working part time and living with my parents, in which I wrote most of my debut novel. Then I relocated, got my first full time job and eventually finished the book. Then it took me almost two years to find an agent (I took an intermittent approach to querying) but soon after that I got my UK publishing deal and the US deal followed. Everything since then has been quite surreal, between the global pandemic and my childhood dream coming true. But I certainly feel very lucky to be where I am now!
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
I think anything absolute is bad advice. There are no fixed ‘rules’ about how to tell a story – just look at the variety of works that have been produced across the world over the millennia. There are certain tropes which prove popular, of course, or ways to make your writing engaging, but I tried as far as possible not to worry about what I should be doing and instead to tell the story in a way that was natural to me. If every writer followed the rules our books would all be the same! I think the best advice I can give is just to read, widely and carefully, so that you can work out what makes a good story to you.
What’s next for you?
As I say I’ve been busy writing my next book! I’m not sure how much I can reveal at this stage, but I can say that it’s also a mythological retelling, but with a completely different cast of characters in a bunch of new settings. The project has been fascinating and challenging in equal measure and I can’t wait to share it!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’m currently reading The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot – sorry, I know it’s not exactly current fiction! But I do genuinely recommend books by writers like Eliot and Hardy (mentioned above) if you’re into emotionally complex, sensitively observed stories about the human experience and how our lives affect one another.
I just finish the audiobook Daughters of Sparta and loved it! Can’t wait for your next book.
It gets 5 stars from me!