Goodreads asked Michael Ward:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Michael Ward 'Rags of Time' is my debut novel. I chose historical fiction because I enjoy it myself as a reader.

From the outset I wanted to write about a period less well covered than others like Tudor and Roman. I researched the Stuart era and discovered an extraordinary 40 year section which witnessed civil war, regicide, the Commonwealth of England and royal restoration. During this time there was also a number of dramatic set pieces to feature: the Fire of London and the Great Plague of 1665/6.

It soon became clear that these 40 years not only marked a period of great political and religious change, but also significant advances in science and the birth of Britain's pre-eminence as a maritime and trading nation.

I realised this must have been an extraordinary time to live through, especially in London, the epicentre of this ferment of new thinking. And so the idea for 'Rags' and successive books was born - a series that will allow the reader to walk side by side with my hero merchant Thomas Tallant throughout his life, experiencing with him such a formative and dramatic period in British history.

From the outset, I have tried to interweave the themes of religious, political, scientific and mercantile change around the central murder plot and it was really pleasing to see that this had been noticed and appreciated in my first goodreads review. Big relief!

I am now working on Book 2.

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