Historical Fiction . Literature . Novels . Research . War
Living in the past – the joys of historical research
On 18 July 2011 by AdminI’ve been living in the past a lot lately. In 1927, to be precise – which is when the novel I’m currently writing is set. Every day, I get on the Jubilee Line and travel back in time, to an era when there were no computers, no mobile phones, no televisions and not very many
Astronomy . Historical Fiction . Literature . Novels . Research . Variable Stars . Writing
Inventing real people
On 11 January 2011 by AdminWriting about real people or events in a work of fiction might seem to have obvious advantages. Instead of starting with a blank canvas, where your character is concerned, you have access to previously existing ‘sketches’. These can include actual images – whether photographs, drawings or paintings – as well as verbal descriptions by those
Astronomy . Historical Fiction . Literature . Novels . Research . Variable Stars . Writing
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
On 15 December 2010 by Admin‘Where do you get your ideas?’ is a question most writers get asked – and not a few find hard to answer. One feels almost superstitious about it – as if, by delving too deeply into the mysterious process by which stories are made – or found – one might lose the trick of it.
Literature . Novels . Research . Variable Stars
Books I’ve Read This Year
On 30 November 2010 by AdminNow that the Best of Year book list season is upon us, it seems a good moment to compile my own – a snapshot of my reading over the year. The trouble is that three books – the usual number in such round-ups – isn’t nearly enough. I started off with twenty, thinking I’d probably
A Mild Suicide . Historical Fiction . Literature . Novels . Research . The Dark Tower . Undiscovered Country . Variable Stars . Writing
Writing Historical Fiction
On 1 September 2010 by Admin‘I don’t like historical fiction,’ a friend said recently and, until a few years ago, I might well have agreed with him. I mean – what’s the point of setting your story in the past, when there’s so much about the present that’s worth describing? Of having to go to all the trouble of recreating
Anglo-Zulu war . British Army . Historical Fiction . Literature . Research . The Dark Tower . War . Writing
Literary models for The Dark Tower
On 4 May 2010 by AdminWriting The Dark Tower necessitated a good deal of historical research – not all of which was factual. Novels, such as The American by Henry James, The Duke’s Children by Anthony Trollope, A Pair of Blue Eyes and The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, The Egoist by Meredith – all of which were