Historical Fiction – Page 5

Cover Reveal: The Corsican Widow

I have been itching to show you the cover for the next in my Tales of Corsica series, The Corsican Widow, which will be published on 10th May 2018. The Kindle version is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The designer was, again, JD Smith, who has designed previous covers for me and I’mContinue reading “Cover Reveal: The Corsican Widow “

History People: Kate Braithwaite, Writing Historical Crime

I’m delighted to welcome today an author who is very much a writer after my own heart. Kate Braithwaite likes to write novels that take real historical events as their starting point and have an unsolved mystery at the centre. This has taken her from Louis XIV’s France to Charles II’s England – and thenContinue reading “History People: Kate Braithwaite, Writing Historical Crime”

New Horizons: Tales of Corsica

April will see the reissue of The House at Zaronza, my novel set in early 20th-century Corsica and at the Western Front during World War I. It was first published by Crooked Cat Books in 2014, and I’m eternally grateful to them for taking me on and for everything I have learned in the process. They tellContinue reading “New Horizons: Tales of Corsica”

History People: Nancy Jardine and Real Historical Figures

A big welcome to Nancy Jardine, a great author and a specialist on Roman Britain. She raises a familiar dilemma for historical novelists: how do you get plausibly into the mind of someone who lived two thousand years ago? What sort of guesswork do you have to do? And what contemporary sources can you relyContinue reading “History People: Nancy Jardine and Real Historical Figures”

History People: Sue Barnard, Writing the Book You Want to Read

It’s always a pleasure to welcome my friend and fellow author Sue Barnard onto the blog. She tells us how the advice to “write the book you want to read” led her into historical fiction. I’ve had a sneak peek at Sue’s latest book, Heathcliff (more about it below), and so I know you’re inContinue reading “History People: Sue Barnard, Writing the Book You Want to Read”

History People: Alison Morton, a Self-Confessed Roman Nut

Have you ever asked yourself, “What if…?” What if Harold hadn’t lost at Hastings, what if Richard III hadn’t been killed on Bosworth Field, what if Hitler had been a better military strategist? Today, I’m thrilled to welcome an author who asked herself the “what if” question and came up with a terrific series ofContinue reading “History People: Alison Morton, a Self-Confessed Roman Nut”

True Inspiration for Fiction #5: the Ghosts of World War I

At 11 am on this day in 1918, the guns fell silent on the Western Front. Ninety-nine years later, none of the combatants in that terrible war is alive, but the memories still echo down the years. In France, where I live, the smallest village has its war memorial. Often, several men with the same surnameContinue reading “True Inspiration for Fiction #5: the Ghosts of World War I”

History People: Margaret Skea, writing about what you don’t know

I’m delighted to welcome historical novelist, Margaret Skea, to the blog today. She tells us how she started writing historical fiction – and suggests that it can be a good idea to challenge the rules and write about what you don’t know. You’ll also find a riveting extract from her latest novel, Katharina: Deliverance, aboutContinue reading “History People: Margaret Skea, writing about what you don’t know”

True Inspiration for Fiction #4: Angel Makers

In most Western nations, the practice of backstreet abortion has virtually disappeared now that abortion has been legalised. I don’t intend to open a debate here about the moral issues, but rather to look at the historical background, especially in France.

True Inspiration for Fiction #3: Plague!

The plague first made an appearance in 1347-48, when a catastrophic and unstoppable pandemic swept through Western Europe. In four years, the population of 14th-century Europe plunged by an estimated 33-50% and its civilisation changed forever. The figures are debated, but as many as 150 million people may have died worldwide. The disease spread acrossContinue reading “True Inspiration for Fiction #3: Plague!”