From swashbucklers and witchfinders to radicals and whores – the best of the 17th Century on the screen

October 3, 2017August 17, 2019 Categories: 17th centuryLeave a comment

Originally posted on The Earl of Manchester's Regiment of Foote blog:
From continental wars and revolutions to major advances in science and political ideas, the upheaval and conflict of the 17th Century produced many stories that filmmakers have attempted to retell on the big and small screen. While ancient Rome and Edwardian country manors have always been more popular settings with audiences, the era of Cavaliers and Roundheads has not been without its own collection of films and television serials. In the first of a two-part feature about the 17th Century on the screen, our member David Rowlinson takes…

Author Spotlight: Christopher Cevasco and a new HNS anthology

I had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Cevasco at the 2015 Historical Novel Society (HNS) conference in Denver. At that time, Christopher’s era of interest was Early Medieval, but I later learned that his literary interests are quite diverse and eclectic. During the following year’s conference in Oxford, Christopher’s story, “The Happy Island”, was short-listed for the 2016 HNS Short Story Contest. The story is set in the 1800s and deals with Shanawdithit, the last surviving member of the Beothuk people of Newfoundland. “The Happy Island” was selected to appear in an anthology titled Distant Echoes, published by Corazon books, which…

Ours To Know: Omniscient Voice and the Divine Arrogance of It

September 21, 2017August 19, 2019 Categories: Author SpotlightsTags: A.B Funkhauser · Gonzo · Heuer Lost and Found · Noir · Omniscient · Omniscient POV · Scooter Nation · Shell GameLeave a comment

Today, I welcome Gonzo author, A.B Funkhauser to the blog to discuss her favourite point of view style, the omniscient voice. For those who aren’t familiar with ‘Gonzo’, I like to think of it as Noir humour. If you’re a writer, you’ll know all about the point of view options we use to tell our story. The omniscient point of view was the mainstay of literature for centuries up until more recent times when it fell to the victim of the dreaded ‘writing rules’. Recently, writers have been challenging this ‘rule’, given that some of the best literature in history was written with…

An Ode to Mary Stewart

September 17, 2017August 19, 2019 Categories: Creativity · Writing8 Comments

On my 16th birthday, my best friends pooled their funds and gave me a couple of books, one being Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave. This book was my first introduction to Mary Stewart, and it sparked a lifelong admiration for her work. If I had to pick one author who inspired me the most as a writer, without hesitation it would be Mary Stewart. Over the years, I collected the rest of her stories, including the remaining books of her Merlin/Arthurian series, by haunting second hand book stores and combing through yard sale bins. I have them all, including a rare…

Historical Perspective and the Modern Audience

August 29, 2017August 19, 2019 Categories: WritingTags: A Writer of History · Cryssa Bazos · historical fiction · historical perspective · historical perspective and the modern audience · M.K Tod · Traitor's Knot4 Comments

Writing historical fiction requires balancing the historical sensibilities (speech, culture, customs) for the modern reader. Today, I’m a guest on Mary Tod’s award winning blog, A Writer of History, where I discuss how to do it and why it’s important. Click here for the article. If you’re interested in getting an insight into all aspects of historical fiction, I highly recommend Mary’s blog. There are many fascinating articles.