Hannah Fielding's Blog, page 40
January 28, 2019
Sun, sea and sky: a scenic tour of Aphrodite’s Tears
Sun, sea and sky: in Ancient Greek mythology, each had its own god. Poseidon was the god of the sea, Apollo was the sun god, and mighty Zeus was the […]
January 24, 2019
‘Diamonds are forever’: symbolism and the engagement ring
On the British high street, a store called Poundland specialises in selling all manner of items for just £1. Usually, those items are mundane – cleaning cloths, for example, and […]
January 21, 2019
Losing – and finding – yourself in a labyrinth
The first hedge maze I ever navigated was at Hampton Court Palace. It was planted for William III of Orange as a means of entertainment for the gentry in around 1690, […]
January 17, 2019
Love at first sight: Ancient Greek myth, or reality?
My latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, begins with the chance meeting of two strangers, Oriel and Damian, on a beach one evening. I write: The dark waves murmured on the sand, […]
January 14, 2019
‘Put all your soul into it’: taking inspiration from Frédéric Chopin
For the past few weeks, I have been busy editing my upcoming novel. This means spending many hours in my office: door closed, lamps lit, music playing. The latter is […]
January 10, 2019
Should we finish a book we’re not enjoying?
Since I published my debut novel Burning Embers in 2012, I have been in touch with lots of book bloggers who have been kind enough to read and review my […]
January 7, 2019
‘Let reality be reality’: on preserving heritage, but embracing necessary change
In my latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, my heroine takes a job working on a small Greek island off whose coast a fascinating old shipwreck has been discovered. As an archaeologist, […]
January 1, 2019
‘Each sunrise sees a new year born’
Happy New Year! I love waking up to a new year, full of promise and potential. But as the following poem conveys, we can have this wonderful feeling every single […]
December 31, 2018
Welcome, Saint Basil: New Year traditions in Greece
What does the New Year holiday mean to you? Counting down to midnight, perhaps, and raising a toast to a prosperous new year; watching the fireworks; sharing a meal with […]
December 27, 2018
Five wonderful versions of The Nutcracker
Christmastime, for me, will always be inextricably linked with ballet. It was at this time of the year that my parents took my sister and me to our first ballet […]
