Blog
The Bridled Tongue by Catherine Meyrick – Review
Set in Elizabethan England in 1536 this is a well-written and absorbing romantic novel. Alyce Bradley, returning home after being a lady’s maid in a grand house (which turns out to have been not so grand) comes into conflict with her father over her future. His...
The Intriguing History of Fort St George by David Ebsworth
Today I welcome David Ebsworth to my blog to tell us about one of the fascinating buildings he came across during his research for his 'Wicked Mistress Yale' Series. Over to Dave: ‘I thought it was just coincidence,’ he said. A friend for the past sixty years reading...
On the Record – The Permanence of History through Fiction #amwriting
"Language is very powerful. Language does not just describe reality. Language creates the reality it describes." - Desmond Tutu Mr Swiftstory and I have been watching The Secret History of Writing on TV. If you live in England you can watch this programme on...
‘Changing the dream’ – An interview with author Joan Schweighardt #ecology
I am thrilled to welcome Joan Schweighardt, author of The River Series to my blog today, to talk about her fascinating journey into the rainforests of South America and how it inspired her books. Hi Joan, first off, tell me about your travels to South America and what...
Never A Cross Word – The history of crosswords with Liz Harris
I'm thrilled to welcome Liz Harris to my blog today to enlighten us about crosswords. Over to Liz! If you heard someone claim that in their relationship that they’d never had a cross word, you’d raise your eyebrows in disbelief. ‘Pull the other one!’ you’d exclaim. At...
Death in Delft by Graham Brack – a #17thCentury murder mystery
This is the first Master Mercurius novel I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. Set in the immaculately detailed setting of 17th Century Delft, Master Mercurius is a character it is easy to warm to. An undercover priest as well as a protestant cleric, he is keen to do...
Author in Search of a Character – Why James Burke?
I'm delighted to Welcome Tom Williams to my Blog today to tell us about how he came to write the Burke series, described succinctly by Paul Collard as 'James Bond in Breeches.' Over to Tom: Why James Burke? Would it make any sense to say I did it for the money? If I'm...
Introverts and Extroverts in Historical Fiction
I recently came on a discussion in a facebook group about introverts and extroverts in fiction. (Sorry to whoever started this thread; I can't find it again now!) But it really made me stop and think, because as a reader I have always been a fan of what I call ‘quiet...
Historical Fiction – the joy of writing extraordinary commoners
I've just started a new book and after quite a bit of research, this is the first week of actually typing anything for my new project, book two of a series set in Italy. I'm a pantser, so I just launch straight in and then try to write my first draft as quickly as...
Fortune’s Hand – a novel of Walter Ralegh
I knew nothing about Walter Ralegh, except the legends I'd been told at school; about how he lay down his cloak for Queen Elizabeth I. Was this legend true? Read more here on History Extra to find out. In his novel, Fortune's Hand, R N Morris treats us to a...
Ten authors you should know about, who write about the 17th Century #HistFic
The Seventeenth Century is undergoing a bit of a revival, with best-selling authors like Philippa Gregory and Tracy Borman, all getting in on the act. Here is my first of two posts recommending authors who write about this period in European history. Of course in...
Two books with #WW2 connections
Of Darkness and Light is an engaging mystery of art and artists set in WW2 Norway. Heidi Eljarbo has certainly given herself a challenge - to write two historical periods in one novel which flow seamlessly from one to another, but the narrative works well and the two...
Building Blocks of Historical Fiction no 3 – Art and Artifice #HistFic
What does historical novel give you that film or television doesn't? The answer is a total and intimate immersion. The language we use in a historical novel is what immerses us in time and place. Our word choices matter, and every choice we make impacts the reader...
Morecambe Winter Gardens – a labour of love
I've just been on a guided tour of Morecambe Winter Gardens. Its not the first time I've visited, but it is more than five years since my last visit. Morecambe Winter Gardens was a place of music hall entertainment, with a grand ballroom next door, and was designed to...
The Victorian Sickroom – a guest post by Charlotte Betts
I'm delighted to welcome Charlotte Betts to my blog today, with her lovely informative article on the Victorian sickroom. Charlotte Betts is a multi-award-winning author of romantic historical novels and draws inspiration from the stories of strong women at turning...