Deborah Swift's Blog, page 23

Severed Knot : Ingenio – Sugar in 17th Century Barbados

Congratulations to Cryssa Bazos on the release of her romantic thriller, Severed Knot. The novel is set mostly on a 17th Century sugar plantation in Barbados. Here’s Cryssa to tell us more about what the manufacture of sugar involved. Ingenio We have a complicated history with sugar. For some it’s an indulgent weakness while others […]

Recent reads and reviews of Historical Fiction

The Doubtful Diaries of Wicked Mistress Yale by David Ebsworth ‘For is that not the secret of life? To keep open as many of our options as possible for as long as we may dare. And if my only remaining option to keep them alive…’ This is the first of a trilogy set in 17th […]

The appeal of the 17th Century to a novelist by Jemahl Evans

Today I’m pleased to welcome Jemahl Evans  to my blog to tell us why he’s chosen to write three novels set in the 17th Century. Over to Jemahl. I’ve always been fascinated by the Seventeenth Century; it is the great turning point in British history. The divisions of the civil war got fixed into our […]

The Fascinating Facts about Smugglers by @HelenHollick

I’m delighted to welcome Helen Hollick to the blog today to tell us a little about her new book. Helen is a great champion of historical fiction, and now has turned her researcher’s eye to bring us two great non-fiction books – one on Pirates, and the  latest on Smugglers. Over to Helen! THE FASCINATING […]

Building Blocks of Historical Fiction – no.1 Balance

  Each historical novel is different, and each requires attention to the balance of the book, depending on whether it is a thriller, a saga, a romance, or a  portrait of a well-known figure.  A recent historical novel I read was very heavy on the dialogue – and there is nothing wrong with that – […]

How a cemetery in Bodmin, Cornwall inspired the idea for a Time Travel novel

I’m delighted to introduce Diane Scott Lewis to talk about her new book, Beyond the Fall, and the visit that inspired it. A Cemetery in Bodmin, Cornwall inspired the idea for a Time Travel Over a decade ago my husband and I visited Cornwall, England so I could research a novel. In the city of […]

The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau

The Blue is a novel which wears its research lightly and moves at a cracking pace. Genevieve Planche is a strong-willed and adventurous character, who refuses to settle for the dull life of a porcelain painter and instead sets her sights on becoming a true artist. Recruited as a spy within the Derby factory, with […]

The East India Company – The Palace of Lost Dreams

I’m delighted to welcome historical novelist Charlotte Betts today, to tell us the history of the East India Company. My review of Charlotte’s most recent novel, The Palace of Lost Dreams is at the bottom of this article. THE EAST INDIA COMPANY The Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies (The Company) […]

Secrets of Historical Fiction versus Non-Fiction by Annie Whitehead

I’m delighted to welcome Annie Whitehead to my blog today. Annie is both a historical novelist and a historian, and here she lets us into her writing secrets. Over to Annie: September 15 2018 saw the publication of my first full-length nonfiction book. I’m incredibly proud of it, and sometimes look at the pages and […]

Shades of Historical Fiction – finding the right tone

The website Writers Write gives us 155 words to describe a writer’s tone.  There are probably many more than this, as each writer’s tone also conveys what we call ‘voice’. Tone conveys your attitude towards your subject, your audience, and your personal perspective on life. It is expressed through the structure and length of your sentences, […]