“Writing a novel about the unimaginable” The Scent of Lilacs by Haydn Corper Haydn Corper explains why he wanted to write a novel “about the unimaginable”. “I wrote my novel, The Scent of Lilacs, because it was a story which I felt should be told. I am a history enthusiast and I have always been… Read more »
A MOST ENGLISH PRINCESS Clare McHugh’ s debut historical fiction novel will be published in the USA/Canada by HarperCollins on the 22nd of September and in the UK from October the 29th. Readers from other countries will be able to purchase it from Amazon US (ISBN: 0062997602). For further information about Clare and her writing… Read more »
What do the historical fiction novels The Infamous Army (1937) by Georgette Heyer and Without Warning: The Saga of Gettysburg, A Reluctant Union Hero, and the Men He Inspired (2020) by debut novelist Terry Pierce have in common? The novels both have battles and battlefields as their primary settings. Secondly, they have both incorporated meticulous… Read more »
Local history and community month is drawing to a close, but to end on an encouraging note for all those writers of historical fiction who are thinking of basing their stories and novels around a local historical event or the story of an ancestor Peter Maher has done just that. Elizabeth Maher “The VERY simple… Read more »
Local history and community month in the UK. <https://www.history.org.uk/historian/resource/1567/local-and-community-history-month> Local history is an excellent source of inspiration for writers of historical fiction. They are able to uncover a wealth of stories about real people which can provide them with characters, events and details of life that can transform a fading photo into an engrossing… Read more »
This year the gardens, hedgerows and Devon lanes have been covered with an abundance of bluebells. Not all of them have been native bluebells (or harebells as they are known in Scotland), <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta> but their stained glass window bright blue has added a dash of vibrant colour to many ‘lock down’ walks. St. Eustachius, Tavistock,… Read more »
In Devon and Cornwall children used to collect primroses to make primrose wine and cordial. Primroses were also boiled with sugar to make cough syrup. Primroses have featured in poems and literature. They are to be found in the works of Shakespeare, Robert Bridges, Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth, John Milton, Oliver Goldsmith, Jean… Read more »
Literary Mysteries associated with Tavistock and the surrounding area Whenever I visit a second-hand bookshop, I can’t resist trying to find writers from the past (including novelists and poets), who have either written about Tavistock (Devon, England) or who came from Tavistock. Then I love to try to find out more about them and why… Read more »
During the 19th and early 20th century Tavistock and the surrounding area provided women writers with inspiration. Their literary legacy is very much a part of the heritage of the town. Elizabeth Rundle – Mrs Charles Rundle (January 2nd1828 – 28th March 1896) Elizabeth was the only child of John Rundle, M.P. for Tavistock. Born… Read more »
It has been my privilege over the past years to lead an SSU for Medical students in Exeter and Plymouth (UK) on the theme of Medical Facts and Myths into Historical Crime Fiction. Khalid Hasssan, one of the students has kindly offered to share his thought provoking essay with the crime writing fraternity (and sisterhood)…. Read more »
