Featured Interview With Sheila Dalton
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Hillingdon, England, and came to Canada when I was six. I live in Newmarket, a small town near Toronto, Ontario. I am the proud slave to two cats.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I started reading before I went to school, and never stopped. I found fiction so fascinating, and also consoling. My childhood was difficult. Books were an escape, but they also taught me about people and the world. I started writing very young. I was encouraged at school, so I kept at it.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
My favourite authors write historical fiction – Sarah Waters, Sara Dunant, and Lisa See. They all both inspire and intimidate me, they are so good!
Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is my first historical fiction. The tile is Stolen. It’s about a young woman in 17th century Devon, England who comes home from market to find her village in ruins, all its inhabitants captured or killed by Barbary Corsairs. This includes her parents, taken off to be sold in the slave markets in Morocco. She is determined to find and help them but as a woman alone her sphere of activity is severely limited. There are many detours – involving a mysterious French privateer and an English pirate – in her quest. She manages to reach the fabled courts and harems of Morocco, despite all. The book is based on true events, and took me two years to research and write. I visited both Devon and Morocco, which is where the idea for the book originated.
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Great interview. I’ve had the privilege to read Girl in the Box as well as Ms. Dalton’s latest release, Stolen. All I can say is they are wonderful books. What a talented writer.