Who really was Isabel de Saavedra? And was she really as cruel as history portrays her?
In Episode 25, Martha Bátiz tells me what inspired her to reimagine the stories of Miguel de Cervantes, his sisters, wife, and daughter, Isabel de Saavedra, in her latest historical novel, A Daughter’s Place.
Set in 16th-century Spain, the historical fiction revolves around Miguel’s daughter, Isabel, who finds out after her mother’s death that her father is the renowned poet and war hero, Miguel de Cervantes.
Isabel is forced to pose as a maid and help her new family as they support Cervantes in writing his famous work Don Quixote. In doing so, she discovers secrets about her new family and struggles to find a sense of belonging in a society and country groaning under the weight of war, plagues, and colonization.
A Daughter’s Place showcases the strength of four remarkable women as they navigate a critical moment in Spanish history. It’s out now from House of Anansi Press.
In this episode, we discuss:
0:00 — Introduction
3:59 – Martha’s inspiring journey from acting to writing
8:44 – Why Martha chose to re-examine the intriguing life of Isabel de Saavedra
21:51 – How to use voice and characterization to tell a unified story
38:51 – The role of the Moors in 16th Century Spain
47:37 – How to weave fact and fiction in historical fiction
Martha Bátiz holds a PhD in Latin American Literature and is an ATA-certified literary translator. Besides being the founder and instructor of the Creative Writing in Spanish course offered by the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Toronto, she is a part-time professor at York University, where she teaches Spanish language and literature, as well as translation and creative writing.
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Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2gFXHA5wW9w
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Guest’s links
🛒 Buy A Daughter’s Place: https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-daughters-place?srsltid=AfmBOor7laixfQFYTpr94m3U4fFNniU1142pPnS3aJiX35A_OEsFUAFl
Follow Martha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martha.batiz/
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Host’s links
Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/
Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/
Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/