As a historical novelist you have to research the period extensively. How did you get a real feel for the Tudor manors, castles and palaces that you describe so vividly in 'The Other Boleyn Girl'?
I always visit all the properties that I describe, there is nothing as inspiring as actually being somewhere and I almost always learn something from a visit, even if it is only about the sky-line, or the colour of the earth.
The most striking example of this was when I went to Ludlow Castle for research for 'The Constant Princess'. I thought it was hardly worth going as I had seen black and white pictures of the castle and even had a plan of the castle. Imagine my amazement when I found the walls are an extraordinary colour, nearly plum! Nobody had thought this worth mentioning in any descriptions I had read of the castle but it was a revelation to me.
We know that you like pottering around in your garden, do you have any great gardening tip for us?
A good amateur gardener told me to always work first on the beds nearest the house for these are the ones that you see the most, and you see them close to. The more distant views can have more weeds and you can get away with it!
When you were writing 'The Other Boleyn Girl' did you ever imagine who you would have to play Anne and Mary in the film adaptation?
I always think of my books as a book, I never think of them as films so I imagined Mary and Anne as characters in a novel and based them on the characters in history. I was delighted at the casting, Natalie and Scarlett would be any author's 'dream ticket' and they play together beautifully.
Who do you relate to the most Anne or Mary Boleyn?
The novel is from Mary's point of view and so I spent a long time seeing the events through her eyes so I suppose I relate most to her, but the story is dominated by Anne, her extraordinary ambition, her amazing success and then her tragic fall.
At the National Trust, climate change and the environment is very important to us and we try our hardest to encourage others to help keep our planet green. What one thing will you do this year to help the environment?
This is a very good reminder for me because I have made my new year resolution to start a compost tip and compost organic waste from the kitchen. I know we should all do what we can to reduce waste that goes into landfill.
My husband and I own a small farm in North Yorkshire and we are continuing with our planting programme and we run the farm with a very high regard to wildlife.
My top favourite animals are hares and I keep some fields in grassland for their benefit, and we have made a lake and this year we had a pair of oystercatchers nesting and they raised one chick. I can't express how much pleasure this gave me, I used to look for the chick every day and when he grew into his adult plumage and flew away it was like a graduation ceremony!
If you would like to learn more about Philippa, please visit her official website where you can find out more about her life and work.
