Beth Ford's Blog: Stringing Words Along
February 6, 2025
Continuing a Favorite Story
My new novel, After the Spirits Come (out February 11, 2025) picks up one week after the events of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, which is one of my all-time favorite stories. Beyond the many times I've read the book, I watch any movie adaptations, and I see it on stage at my local theater every year.
With this continuation, I wanted to explore what would really happen if someone dedicated themselves to completely changing their lives the way that Scrooge does, and the complications that might arise. I tried to answer the questions, How hard is it to really change your life? And would everyone be so forgiving of his past?
I completed my master's degree in 18th and 19th century British literature at the University of Edinburgh, and wrote my thesis on David Copperfield. Writing this book felt like my homage to Dickens, and my whole heart and soul is in it. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did writing it.
What story would you like to retell or continue? Why that one? Let me know in the comments!
With this continuation, I wanted to explore what would really happen if someone dedicated themselves to completely changing their lives the way that Scrooge does, and the complications that might arise. I tried to answer the questions, How hard is it to really change your life? And would everyone be so forgiving of his past?
I completed my master's degree in 18th and 19th century British literature at the University of Edinburgh, and wrote my thesis on David Copperfield. Writing this book felt like my homage to Dickens, and my whole heart and soul is in it. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did writing it.
What story would you like to retell or continue? Why that one? Let me know in the comments!
October 12, 2024
What Would Really Happen if a Medieval Knight Arrived in the 21st Century?
That was the question that prompted me to write my upcoming second novel, Love Between Times. I had seen other media where a medieval knight might show up and there is no language barrier and he immediately understands modern conveniences. That's now how it would be! I wanted to shout.
So I wrote my own story. When Thomas shows up in the modern day, he can barely make himself understood. Rather than understanding automobiles as mechanical inventions, he sees them through the medieval worldview of god vs. the devil.
Part of this idea stemmed from my fascination with the history of the English language. In fact, at the James River Writers conference last weekend, I shared a bonding moment with another historical fiction writer about the Great Vowel Shift in English. Any other language nerds like me out there?
I had a lot of fun writing this book. I hope you will have just as much fun reading it. Love Between Times will be out November 27 through The Wild Rose Press, and is available for pre-order now.
So I wrote my own story. When Thomas shows up in the modern day, he can barely make himself understood. Rather than understanding automobiles as mechanical inventions, he sees them through the medieval worldview of god vs. the devil.
Part of this idea stemmed from my fascination with the history of the English language. In fact, at the James River Writers conference last weekend, I shared a bonding moment with another historical fiction writer about the Great Vowel Shift in English. Any other language nerds like me out there?
I had a lot of fun writing this book. I hope you will have just as much fun reading it. Love Between Times will be out November 27 through The Wild Rose Press, and is available for pre-order now.
