Deborah Heal's Blog, page 5
January 7, 2016
Dickens: what his biographers failed to mention
Charles Dickens: world-famous literary giant, beloved author of A Christmas Carol, creator of Tiny Tim. Nearly as many words were written about him as he wrote himself. Respected British novelist and literary critic G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) wrote an important … Continue reading →
December 15, 2015
The Real and Fictional Characters
A Matter of Time is chock-full of characters, more so than any other of my novels. Why you ask? Well, when I was researching the place and time, I kept running into people who either met Charles Dickens when he … Continue reading →
December 8, 2015
The story behind “No Crib for a Bed”
“No Crib for a Bed” is my second annual free Christmas short story (Dec. 2015) for subscribers to my newsletter V.I.P. Perks.The following is the story behind the story, so it won’t make much sense if you haven’t read “No … Continue reading →
December 2, 2015
Charles Dickens’ Jaunt to the Prairie
The History Behind A MATTER OF TIME A Matter of Time is scheduled for release Christmas Day, but it is available for pre-order NOW! WARNING! Plot Spoilers! You may want to read this after … Continue reading →
October 21, 2015
Christmas Party in November
Gifts and Fun! Welcome to my interactive virtual Christmas party! A Matter of Time, book 4 in my Rewinding Time Series (Now available for pre-order!) will be released Christmas Day (or sooner). And since the novel is set at Christmas time, I thought … Continue reading →
Christmas Party in October
Gifts and Fun! Welcome to my interactive virtual Christmas party! A Matter of Time, book 4 in my Rewinding Time Series (Now available for pre-order!) will be released Christmas Day (or sooner). And since the novel is set at Christmas time, I thought … Continue reading →
October 20, 2015
The Jaunt to the Looking Glass Prairie
The History Behind A MATTER OF TIME A Matter of Time is scheduled for release Christmas Day, but it is available for pre-order NOW! WARNING! Plot Spoilers! You may want to read this after … Continue reading →
September 15, 2015
Charles Dickens in America: Adulation and Tribulation
“He’s not very tall,” Hank said. “Looks kinda ordinary for a famous person,” Tom said, shifting the packages he carried. “Not nearly as inspiring as Vice President Johnson when he came to Belleville last year. Now there’s a man that … Continue reading →
September 7, 2015
St. Clair County on the Eve of Dickens’ Visit
What was the Illinois frontier like when Charles Dickens visited it in 1842? It was one of the key questions I needed to answer before beginning to write the book—specifically, St. Clair County, the setting for A Matter of Time. I read … Continue reading →
September 1, 2015
What the Dickens?!
A Matter of Time, book IV in my Rewinding Time Series, includes my fictional version of Charles Dickens’ stay at Lebanon’s Mermaid Inn on April 12, 1842. It was his western-most stop during his tour of America. Although none of … Continue reading →
