Blog
Rembrandt’s Mirror by Kim Devereux
I was offered a review copy of 'Rembrandt's Mirror' by Kim Devereux, and was so fascinated I asked Kim for an interview about her debut novel and the experience of writing about such a well-loved artist. Deborah: We get an intimate portrait of Rembrandt in this book,...
Fetch Nurse Connie by Jean Fullerton
As I'm a blogger, I received a copy of 'Fetch Nurse Connie' from the publisher in return for an honest review. Anyone interested in the post-world war two period will just love this. Full of great little details that really bring the past to life, this is a...
UK Independent Publishers – a ‘do they add value?’ check
I meet regularly with other novelists to critique our works in progress, drink tea, and discuss the various merits of the biscuits. Recently at one of my novelists group meetings we were discussing independent publishers who might publish a full length novel. I...
Editing Historical Fiction, my way
I am in the middle of edits for two of my books, one a young adult novel and one a 400 page adult novel. These are the edits I make before I send out to my agent, a publisher, or in some cases the public. There will be other edits later, but as some publishing houses...
A Cruel Necessity by L C Tyler
'A Cruel Necessity' by L C Tyler is unique - crime fiction set during Cromwell's rule after the English Civil Wars. What makes this mystery different is the intentionally humorous twist. This is a period I love, and L C Tyler has done a great job of bringing it...
The Apothecary’s Widow – Diane Scott Lewis
A Lady’s Murder in Eighteenth Century Cornwall When I attended the Historical Novel Society Conference in San Diego, one of the panels spoke of the future of historical fiction. They agreed that historical mysteries would remain one of the most popular aspects...
Nursing in the 1940’s and 50’s – Fetch Nurse Connie
I am thrilled to welcome Jean Fullerton to my blog today, to chat about her latest book and the way in which she researched and wrote the story. Known for her wonderful Powerpoint presentations about East End London life, Jean brings all her research and life...
Dare Devils: Seventeenth Century Highwaymen
Though legends of highwaymen are many, there is only one featuring a woman – Lady Katherine Fanshawe. Shadow on the Highway is the first instalment in her story, the real history which over the generations has become embroidered with myth, as have all the other...
Mary Beale – 17th Century torch bearer for women artists
'Unlike other painters of that era, she tried to understand her sitters, rather than glorifying them. She didn't claim to be extraordinary, but she was. She never claimed to be the first woman to make a living by her brush, but she was.” This is how Germaine Greer...
Award-winning writer Charlotte Betts reveals her favourite English chateau
I have just finished Charlotte Betts's latest novel, Chateau on the Lake, which is yet another gripping romance from this award-winning novelist. I first came across Charlotte because she has written several books in one of my favourite periods - the...
Red Rose, White Rose – Joanna Hickson researches Cecily Neville
My article on Red Rose White Rose by Joanna Hickson - Queen of the Castle. is featured in the Historical Novel Society Magazine this month. You can find it here on their website if you are a member of the HNS. If you like historical fiction, why not join? For those...
Stolen by Sheila Dalton
Stolen came about after two trips: one to Devon, England, and one to Morocco. The book is dedicated to my husband, who traveled with me. He died suddenly in 2012, before the book was published, but I wanted to include him somehow, because he loved the story and,...
Learning and Leisure – the disappearance of Night School
In the old days people went to 'Night School' to learn a new skill, like a language, or carpentry, or DIY, or car maintenance, and you had to book well in advance to secure your place. That idea morphed into 'Adult Education', and that into 'Adult and Community...
This Rough Ocean by Ann Swinfen
Flood and This Rough Ocean Two Families in the 1640s I have written two novels set in the seventeenth century and both have their roots in true events. Like most people, I suspect, I’m heartily thankful I did not live in that tempestuous period, yet it is...
Page-turning fiction – can it be memorable?
I've just finished a book I've been working on for about eighteen months, and now I am catching up with my reading. As writers we are encouraged to hook the reader by encouraging them not to pause, but to keep on turning the pages. But - one thing I have noticed is...