Gadding about - and finishing in Bristol fashion

With Rachel Abbott at the SilverWood Books social in Bristol

If you read this blog regularly, you’ll have seen that I’ve almost earnt a frequent flyer gold card!

No, not really, but I seemed to have trudged along miles of airport corridors and lived in so many hotel rooms I can’t remember which […]

Talking about author events on the BeginSelfPublishing podcast

Well, this is all very exciting. Tim Lewis of the BeginSelfPublishing podcast asked me to talk about author events; what I’d done, how to get speaking gigs and practical tips for doing them.

I was flattered to be asked, given his previous line-up of guests, but very pleased to pass on what I’d learned.

Click […]

Triskele Lit Fest - friendly and with fizz!

STOP PRESS: video added below!

The historical fiction panel, left to right Jane Davis (chair) Orna Ross, Radhika Swarup, J D Smith and me (see video of session below!)

Scarcely recovered from the Historical Novel Society Conference, I was back on the plane ten days later en route to a rainy London and […]

Oxford - HNS Conference and a lot of rushing around

The 2016 Historical Novel Society in Oxford – fabulous speakers, sharp engaging talks, lively expert panels plus rampaging Saxons – a celebration of all things historical and fictional. This was the feast before us.

Battle of Fulford 1066 tapestry. (Click image for more info)

Many colleagues have written accounts which make compelling reading […]

Blenheim, forerunner to the HNS Conference

I’d never been to Blenheim, or Blenheim Palace as it’s more properly called. I knew it was the home of John and Sarah Churchill, the first (gifted and ambitious) Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, by having watched The First Churchills, an excellent BBC series made in 1969.

Built built between 1705 and circa 1722 in […]