The HNS New Novel Award 2018

Categories: 17th century · Laurels · The Severed KnotTags: · · · 9 Comments

I’m especially really pleased to share with you my good news. My second novel, The Severed Knot, has been longlisted for the HNS New Novel Award 2018. Making the long list is a huge accomplishment. The Historical Novel Society is a respected literary society devoted to the promotion of historical fiction. The Severed Knot is set in the UK and Barbados during the 17th century and follows one of the characters from Traitor’s Knot after the disastrous Battle of Worcester. Here is what they had to say about my work: The Severed Knot Bleakly impossible choices face the protagonists in…

Welcome to the Dark Ages and the Land of King Arthur: Guest post by Mary Anne Yarde @maryanneyarde

Categories: Author Spotlights · Guest Blog · historical fictionTags: · · · · · · 8 Comments

If I wasn’t writing about the 17th century, I would be exploring the time of King Arthur. I’ve been drawn to the Arthurian legends for as far back as I can remember in all their variations. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming to the blog an author whose historical fiction novels are inspired by the old Arthurian legends. Mary Anne Yarde is the author of the Du Lac Chronicles series, which is set in the turbulent era after the death of King Arthur. Mary Anne combines my favourite elements in her novels: historical fiction with romance and adventure. Including…

Dropping Anchor to Talk about Pirates – Helen Hollick @HelenHollick #nonfiction #pirates #blogtour

Categories: Author Spotlights · Guest Blog · historical fictionTags: · · · 11 Comments

Who doesn’t love pirate stories? Tall tales of adventure and daring have fueled our interest in these daring swashbucklers of the high seas. But what do we really know about pirates? I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome Helen Hollick as a guest on the blog. Helen’s list of literary accomplishments run long and deep. She’s the author of one of my favourite series, The Sea Witch, which blends historical fiction with a touch of fantasy. Most recently, she has released her non-fiction book, Pirates: Truth and Tales through Amberley Publishing. Today she’s here to talk about pirates. So pull up a…

Quackery and 17th Century Medicine by Deborah Swift @swiftstory #Stuarts

Categories: 17th century · Author SpotlightsTags: · · · · · · · · 4 Comments

I am especially pleased to be able to turn over the blog today to acclaimed author, Deborah Swift. Deborah is best known for her historical fiction novels which are set during the Restoration. Her stories are rich in historical detail and are a direct portal to the 17th century. Deborah’s latest series revolves around some of the women mentioned in Samuel Pepys’s diary. The first in the series, Pleasing Mr Pepys, was one of my favourite reads this year. I couldn’t put it down. The second book in the series, A Plague on Mr Pepys, has just been released July…

The Battle of Hamilton (or Hieton)

Categories: 17th centuryTags: · · · · · · · · · 6 Comments

One of the best aspects of being a historical fiction writer is learning about the lesser known events in history. This is often the by-product of our historical research. In some cases, it could be a small footnote that serves as the invitation down the rabbit hole, or it could be that you’re leading your characters into an arena that you need to know more about. My interest in Hamilton came as a result of needing to know what my character, James Hart, was specifically walking into on his journey to join the king in Scotland. Quite a bit, as…