tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83136515196379848622024-03-04T12:24:00.475-08:00The Riddle of WritingDeborah SwiftDeborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-13289977208252275742015-12-10T03:44:00.000-08:002015-12-10T03:44:40.618-08:00My Recommended Christmas Reading List - mulled wine optional.<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murderous-Affair-Jonathan-Digby-ebook/dp/B00FBE8SWW" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Murderous-Affair-Jonathan-Digby-ebook/dp/B00FBE8SWW"><img alt="murderous affair" class="size-full wp-image-437 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/murderous-affair.jpg" height="275" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/murderous-affair.jpg" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="184" /></a>Excellent murder mystery with larger than life characters and a tone in which you can tell the author is enjoying the telling of the tale. John Lovat, the bastard brother of one of Queen Elizabeth's courtiers and always second fiddle to his snooty brother, is employed to solve the mystery of the death of a Portuguese nobleman, and to hush up any scandal that might affect the court.</div>
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The author has researched the times thoroughly, with detailed knowledge of London streets, the theatres, the waterways and the politics of the day including the taking of slaves and the ruthlessness of piracy on the high seas. There are plenty of false leads and a surprising denouement. All in all an excellent read.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-York-Terry-Tyler-ebook/dp/B016WNEEQO/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-York-Terry-Tyler-ebook/dp/B016WNEEQO/"><img alt="House of York" class="wp-image-438 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/House-of-York.jpg" height="243" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/House-of-York.jpg" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="182" /></a></div>
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The House of York is loosely based on events during the era of the Wars of the Roses. It includes part of the plot of the Princes in the Tower (albeit updated) and this adds extra interest for history buffs.</div>
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The events are told from several points of view, mostly unreliable (!) and this family saga is part thriller, part crime, part intrigue, with a good dollop of psychology thrown in. This makes it sound complex, and it is, but it is also a seamless and entertaining read. The voices are clearly delineated, and each character convincing. Like the best historical sagas, Terry Tyler's books are about power. Who owns it, who wants it, and the lengths people will go to to get it. Jealousy, back-stabbing, manipulation are all a part of the game. The ending leaves enough intrigue for this reader to long for for the next instalment so I can find out if Elodie's egomania will finally bring down the edifice of York Towers! </div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Mourning-William-Monk/dp/0747245266/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dangerous-Mourning-William-Monk/dp/0747245266/"><img alt="dangerous mourning" class="wp-image-440 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dangerous-mourning.jpg" height="297" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/dangerous-mourning.jpg" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="183" /></a>A Dangerous Mourning is the second book in the William Monk Series, set just after the Crimean war, and full of Victorian atmosphere - the foggy Thames, and the complexity of the Victorian legal system. Both these outside forces are mirrored by Monk's mind - his amnesia and how he copes with it, alongside his determination to be better than Mr. Runcorn, his superior, who would be happy to get rid of him from the Force.</div>
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The plot revolves around the murder of Octavia Moidore, a wealthy aristocrat's daughter, who has been stabbed to death in her bed. Of course in those days there was no fingerprinting, no forensics, and the police force is full of ineptitude. Some of the time Monk is outwitting the system itself, as well as the perpetrator of the crime. Gripping, atmospheric stuff, with a great courtroom drama ending.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Lost-Iona-Grey-ebook/dp/B00LJXINPQ/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Lost-Iona-Grey-ebook/dp/B00LJXINPQ/"><img alt="letters to the lost" class="size-medium wp-image-444 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/letters-to-the-lost-198x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/letters-to-the-lost-198x300.jpg" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="198" /></a>Letters to the Lost is a double romance set during World War Two and today. The plot is built around an empty house in which Jess finds herself after she escapes her violent boyfriend, Dodge. The letters she discovers in the abandoned house describe a sweeping love story that went wrong. At the same time, the airman of the letters is trying to find his long lost sweetheart and hopes she is still alive. With the help of her friend Will, Jess begins to unravel the mystery behind Dan and Stella's wartime story, and in doing so finds a love of her own. Our hopes for a happy ending propel the two narratives along, and anyone looking for an exceptionally well-written romance with true heart and poignancy will love this.</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-30027570852272899312015-11-23T02:52:00.000-08:002015-11-23T02:52:53.320-08:00The Lancashire Highwayman<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">
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Masked highwayman George Lyon held up the Liverpool mail coach by firing shots and forcing the driver to stop. Then, having robbed the passengers of their valuables, he retired to the pub at Upholland, where he had been drinking earlier. The distraught passengers arrived a little later, bringing with them their tale of robbery and their narrow escape from death, and Lyon must have been entertained by their version of events.</div>
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According to local legend, Lyon once tried to hold up a coach that was transporting wages to a coal mine. He was waiting by the side of the road, but it was pouring with rain and the gunpowder in his pistol got soaked. When the coach finally rounded the bend, his pistol failed to fire. The driver, seeing the highwayman, whipped the horses into a gallop and the coach sped by him, throwing up a wave of water, leaving Lyon bedraggled and no richer.</div>
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Lyon's subsequent career involved more petty crime and burglary until he was eventually caught in 1815. His career ended after burgling Westwood Hall, at Ince near Wigan (below).</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/" href="http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/"><img alt="Westwood Hall" class=" wp-image-434 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Westwood-Hall-300x187.jpg" height="231" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Westwood-Hall-300x187.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="371" /></a></div>
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Unknown to Lyon, the landlord of the pub was an undercover constable acting as a 'fence', and the silver that Lyon was trying to sell was easily traceable.</div>
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Lyon was hanged at Lancaster Castle, but was allowed to be taken back to his home village for burial. Usually it was the custom for executed criminals to be given to local surgeons to dissect, in the interests of medical advancement. Lyons' body was brought back in a thunderstorm, a suitably dramatic end for the Upholland Highwayman.</div>
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Lyon called himself a 'prince of thieves' and in time, because of this phrase, he came to be remembered as a Robin Hood type of figure - though there is no evidence at all that he gave anything back to the poor!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lancashire-Lies-Beneath-Local-History/dp/184674167X" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lancashire-Lies-Beneath-Local-History/dp/184674167X"><img alt="Lancashire beneath" class="size-medium wp-image-431 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lancashire-beneath-212x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Lancashire-beneath-212x300.jpg" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="212" /></a></div>
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Most of the information about the Upholland Highway man came from a great little book: Lancashire: Who Lies Beneath, by Elisabeth Ashworth, about the stories behind the gravestones of Lancashire churchyards. The book is a treasure trove of fascinating characters and covers many Lancashire graveyards. Visit <a data-mce-href="http://elizabethashworth.com/my-books/lancashire-who-lies-beneath/" href="http://elizabethashworth.com/my-books/lancashire-who-lies-beneath/">Elizabeth's website</a></div>
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And tonight, find out more about the history of Gentlemen of the Road, watch the BBC 4 programme,</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06qn3lr" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06qn3lr">Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues</a> </div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-27227503549083504012015-11-01T04:27:00.000-08:002015-11-01T04:27:00.092-08:0070th Anniversary of the film Brief Encounter<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
This year marks 70 years since Brief Encounter was made in 1945. It was one of my mother's favourite films, a real weepie, and one which seemed to touch the heart of a nation. Just why, is explored in this lovely <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kgvc8?ns_mchannel=social&" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kgvc8?ns_mchannel=social&">documentary </a>on Radio 4 which I listened to earlier in the week.</div>
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One of the reasons I am celebrating the anniversary of the release of the film is because I have published a book which features the filming of Brief Encounter in 1945. The site of the wartime filming on Carnforth station is close to my home, and the <a data-mce-href="http://www.carnforthstation.co.uk/brief_encounter.html" href="http://www.carnforthstation.co.uk/brief_encounter.html">Heritage Centre</a> there has a wealth of information about the film and its stars. At the moment to celebrate the anniversary, the Heritage Centre has been featuring a free season of David Lean's films. Lean's many credits include quintessentially classic cinema experiences - from Dr Zhivago to The Bridge over the River Kwai, from A Passage to India to Hobson's Choice. And of course Brief Encounter.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brief-Encounter.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brief-Encounter.jpg"><img alt="Brief Encounter" class="size-full wp-image-425 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brief-Encounter.jpg" height="252" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Brief-Encounter.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>From <a data-mce-href="http://www.filmsite.org/brie.html" href="http://www.filmsite.org/brie.html">Filmsite</a>: </b></div>
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<em><b>Brief Encounter</b> (1946) is director David Lean's brilliantly-crafted, classic British masterpiece. It is one of the greatest romantic tearjerkers/weepers of all time, with a very downbeat ending. Lean's film is a simple but realistically-honest, unsentimental, self-told social melodrama of the quiet desperation involved in an illicit, extra-marital love affair between two married, middle-class individuals over seven weekly meetings, mostly against the backdrop of a railway station. The romantic couple includes a wife/mother (stage actress Celia Johnson) looking for escape from her humdrum life and sterile marriage, and a dashing doctor (Trevor Howard in his third film). (Characteristics of film noir also abound within the film - unglamorous locations, rain-slicked streets, dimly-lit interiors and dark train passageways in a tale of doomed, unfulfilled and frustrated love.) </em></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/16/brief-encounter-romance" href="http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/16/brief-encounter-romance">The Guardian </a>says attempts to parody Brief Encounter have failed:</div>
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Brief Encounter has survived such threats, because it is so well made, because Laura's voiceover narration is truly anguished and dreamy, because the music suckers all of us, and because Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard are perfect.</blockquote>
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The <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kgvc8?ns_mchannel=social&" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06kgvc8?ns_mchannel=social&">Radio 4 feature</a> says that the timing of it, when so many men were returning from war, made the last few lines, 'Thank you for coming back to me,' particularly poignant. Do take a listen to the programme, it's only half an hour but very informative if you love the film.</div>
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In my novel Past Encounters, written under the pseudonym of Davina Blake, I explore and echo the same themes as in the film. In my book, my female character, Rhoda, has her own interior monologues. Peter, her fiance, is told with more distance as he fights for his survival in a German POW camp. Both endure emotional and physical hardships during their separation during the long years of WWII. Like the film I was looking for a certain restraint in the writing.</div>
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You can catch Brief Encounter at special screenings during this, its 70th year, and even go to a tea dance after seeing the film at various venues throughout the country.</div>
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And if you are interested in my novel, here it is. <em>Past Encounters</em> is the winner of a BRAG medallion for excellence in independent fiction.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Encounters-novel-Davina-Blake-ebook/dp/B00LV7SNQY" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Encounters-novel-Davina-Blake-ebook/dp/B00LV7SNQY"><img alt="PAST-ENCOUNTERS BRAG MEDALLION" class="size-medium wp-image-424 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/PAST-ENCOUNTERS-BRAG-MEDALLION-200x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/PAST-ENCOUNTERS-BRAG-MEDALLION-200x300.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>About 'Past Encounters'</strong></div>
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From the moment Rhoda Middleton opens one of her husband’s letters and finds it is from another woman, she is convinced he is having an affair. But when Rhoda tracks her down, she discovers the mysterious woman is not his lover after all, but the wife of his best friend, Archie Foster. There is only one problem - Rhoda has never even heard of Archie Foster.</div>
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Devastated by this betrayal of trust, Rhoda tries to find out how and why her husband, Peter, has kept this friendship hidden for so long. Her search leads her back to 1945, but as she gradually uncovers Peter’s wartime secrets she must wrestle with painful memories of her own. For if they are ever to understand each other, Rhoda too must escape the ghosts of the past.</div>
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Taking us on a journey from the atmospheric filming of Brief Encounter, to the extraordinary Great March of prisoners of war through snow-bound Germany, this is a novel of friendship, hope, and how in the end, it is the small things that enable love to survive.</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-88428080916395304222015-10-30T03:48:00.000-07:002015-10-30T03:48:20.682-07:00The Betrothed Sister - an 11th century epic<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
I have read all of Carol McGrath's Hastings Trilogy, and have been entranced by this little-known period of English history. Her most recent novel features a woman about whom little is known, but McGrath's research into the politics, events and atmosphere of the time have filled in the gaps .</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carol-McGrath/e/B00D0K5YI0" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Carol-McGrath/e/B00D0K5YI0"><img alt="Betrothed Sister" class="size-medium wp-image-420 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Betrothed-Sister-193x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Betrothed-Sister-193x300.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="193" /></a></div>
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Carol McGrath's beautifully detailed novel of the exiled Princess Thea is a treat for the senses. For much of the novel Thea is on a journey to find her Russian Prince Vladimir, and we are in her company as she braves the icy Northern waters in a Dragon boat, crosses the vast steppes and fights off pirates and brigands. We are taken with her to chilly monasteries, fortress castles, and the 'terem' the womens' quarters at the Rus Court.We watch her embroidering her 'rushnyk' - her ritual wedding cloth, and visiting the local cunning woman.</div>
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The characters in this novel provide the reader with plenty of tension - the jealous Olga, the faithful Gudrun, and the men battling for land, and lusting for power. The finale is a gripping and spectacular battle for a city besieged, and it makes a wonderful climax to what has been a great series.</div>
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If you like well-researched historical biography with a wealth of period detail, you will love this. Highly recommended.</div>
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Find out more about Carol and the other books in the trilogy on her <a data-mce-href="http://www.carolcmcgrath.co.uk/index.html" href="http://www.carolcmcgrath.co.uk/index.html">website</a></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-81217373654394425642015-10-13T03:53:00.000-07:002015-10-13T03:53:01.714-07:00Book Blog Tour - Spirit of the HighwayHere is the schedule for the blog tour for <i>Spirit of the Highway</i><br />Big thank you to all historical fiction bloggers participating, and to <a href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/spiritofthehighwayblogtour/">Amy </a>for organising it.<div>
<br /><b>Monday, October 26</b><br />Guest Post at <a href="http://passagestothepast.com/">Passages to the Past</a><br /><b><br />Tuesday, October 27</b><br />Review at <a href="http://booknerdloleotodo.blogspot.com/">Book Nerd</a><br />Spotlight & Excerpt at <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.com/">Let Them Read Books</a><br /><br /><b>Wednesday, October 28</b><br />Review at <a href="http://www.historywomanperspective.com/">History From a Woman’s Perspective</a><br /><b><br />Thursday, October 29</b><br />Review at <a href="https://quirkyladybookworm.wordpress.com/">With Her Nose Stuck in a Book</a><br /><b><br />Monday, November 2</b><br />Review at <a href="http://themaidenscourt.blogspot.com/">The Maiden’s Court</a><br /><br /><b>Tuesday, November 3</b><br />Spotlight & Excerpt at <a href="http://brookeblogs.com/">Brooke Blogs</a><br /><br /><b>Thursday, November 5</b><br />Review at <a href="http://www.onebookshy.com/">One Book Shy of a Full Shelf</a><br /><br /><b>Friday, November 6</b><br />Review at <a href="http://bookramblings.net/">Bookramblings</a><br />Review at <a href="http://justonemorechapter.com/">Just One More Chapter</a><br />Guest Post at <a href="http://www.onebookshy.com/">One Book Shy of a Full Shelf</a><br /><br />Please do drop by to support these bloggers. See you there!</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-60542363127158354152015-10-08T02:38:00.000-07:002015-10-08T02:38:58.262-07:00New Anthology of Historical Essays<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
My post at English Historical fiction Authors this month is on the plunder of Basing House in the English Civil War. <a data-mce-href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/the-fate-of-grand-house-in-english.html" href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/the-fate-of-grand-house-in-english.html">Read the post here</a>.</div>
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Basing House inspired some of the events in the Highway Trilogy where I imagined the occupants of Markyate Manor might have suffered a similar fate. The painting above is <em>The Plundering of Basing House</em> by Charles Landseer, 1836, courtesy of the Tate.</div>
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Another related post which features in their new anthology, <b>Castles Customs and Kings Volume II</b>, is about what happened when soldiers came to stay. Find the original blog post <a data-mce-href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-english-cavalier-and-his-stomach.html" href="http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-english-cavalier-and-his-stomach.html">here</a>. During this period, if soldiers were billeted on you, you had little choice in the matter, and their stay could be dangerous and destructive. </div>
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This whopping new anthology features several more articles from me, and also great articles from all your favourite historical fiction authors. Whether you like Romans, The Wars of the Roses, the Tudor Court, or Victoriana, there'll be something in here to tempt you, and much food for thought.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Castles-Customs-Kings-English-Historical/dp/0996264817/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Castles-Customs-Kings-English-Historical/dp/0996264817/"><img alt="Castles Customs Kings II" class="size-medium wp-image-415 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Castles-Customs-Kings-II-210x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Castles-Customs-Kings-II-210x300.jpg" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="210" /></a></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-30178599194366591092015-09-29T07:49:00.000-07:002015-09-29T07:49:00.481-07:00Interview with Victoria Delderfield, author of The Secret Mother<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
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I first met Vicky on the MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster, and loved the premise of this book, which she was working on at the time. Now, at last, two children and a whole lot of work later, The Secret Mother is finally out, and getting the recognition it deserves. Winner of the Hookline Competition for Book Group reads, this is a book that will make you ask questions about your cultural expectations, your relationships with your children, and what it is to be a mother.</div>
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<b>What inspired you to start a book set in China?</b></div>
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The novel emerged out of a short story I wrote featuring a Chinese factory worker called Mai Ling. She wouldn’t let me go until I’d written more of her story. Mai Ling is one in a million – or several million – but her life became special to me, I think because I wanted to understand what it might be like growing up in a culture so vastly different to my own. For me, an exciting part of writing – and reading - is making journeys through time and place that everyday life precludes.</div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">I felt strongly that the best way to explore China’s massive social change would be through the life of an individual whose life was also in a state of economic, social and emotional flux. Whilst researching the novel, I was personally moved by the many stories of women, like Mai Ling, who leave homes and families and undertake physically exhausting work in factories in order to earn their own living and support their families. Mai Ling’s journey – both physical and psychological - from peasant girl to </span><i>dagongmei</i><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;"> (‘working girl’) and eventually mother is particular to China and the era in which it became a market economy.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">The novel developed into a story about overseas adoption when I realised that the global significance of Mai Ling’s life exceeded pure economics.</span></div>
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<b>Are there any Chinese images from your novel that have particular resonance for you?</b></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">I was very inspired by the photographic work of <a href="http://pollybraden.com/">Polly Braden</a>, Michael Wolf and Edward Burtynsky when writing </span><i>The Secret Mother</i><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">. Their work documents the lives of workers, like Mai Ling, caught up in the largest migration in human history as it occurred in China in the early nineties. I was haunted by their visual depictions of the mechanisation of the female body that’s required to support mass production and consumerism: factories teeming with identical uniforms, workers seated in grid formation - all carefully spaced and monitored to ensure maximum productivity. I liked the idea that Mai Ling’s pregnant body is in revolt against this homogeneity.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Polly Braden 'China Between'</td></tr>
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<b>You started this book before having children of your own. Has being a mother made a difference to how you view Mai Ling as a character?</b></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">I have an incredibly close relationship with my mum and this undoubtedly influenced Mai Ling’s characterisation, especially the fiercely protective and tenacious nature of Mai Ling’s love for her daughters. Letting go of one’s children is something all parents do to varying degrees and at various ages and stages so I hoped this theme would resonate with readers. Mai Ling must face the heart-wrenching decision of who will care for her babies, but she never relinquishes the emotional bonds. Mai Ling’s predicament is all the more poignant now that I’m a parent. I also appreciate more fully the absolute horror and fear that Nancy (the twins’ adoptive mother) feels at the prospect of losing her girls.</span></div>
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Motherhood and family are themes I am sure to return to because my own family relationships are so personally significant.</div>
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<b>I loved the way the twins were so different. Which was the easier twin to write, and why?</b></div>
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I’ve breathed my sixteen year old self into both girls – sixteen is a fun age to write about because characters are naturally evolving and identity is in flux. The twins definitely change throughout the course of the novel as their sense of identity matures. Jen is exceptionally smart, hard-working, brave, curious, sensitive and caring. Ricki would probably call her the goody two shoes of the family. I chose to write certain chapters from Jen’s point of view to show what was going on beneath the surface: her uncertainties, fears and deep desire for acceptance – especially from her twin. Jen has been learning GCSE Mandarin and wants to reconnect with her cultural heritage. Her openness is contrasted with Ricki’s seemingly stubborn refusal to confront the past. Ricki has internalised a lot of her hurt and confusion concerning her Chinese birth mother and I wanted her to heal. The scene featuring Ricki and May towards the end of the book was one of the most moving to write, but writing about characters with intense emotions is never easy because there’s always a big risk of tipping over into melodrama.</div>
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<b>What is your favourite book club read, and why? Can you recommend a book to read as a companion volume to The Secret Mother?</b></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">I love my book club – we’re a small group of friends that spend half our time getting passionate about books and the rest catching up on life and sharing our laughter and troubles over tea and cake. The books that we read have become special to me because through them I can chart the ups and downs of our lives. Our most recent read was </span><i>The Buried Giant</i><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;"> by Kazuo Ishiguro. We heard him speak at Manchester Central Library the day after its publication. This greatly helped our understanding and appreciation of the novel – which is enigmatic, imaginative, ambitious and very moving. He is a writer I have long admired for his thoughtful ability to re-invent genres.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">A good companion to </span><i>The Secret Mother</i><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;"> might be Emma Donoghue’s </span><i>Room</i><span data-mce-style="font-weight: 400;">, a novel which also depicts the tenacity of a mother’s love for her child, albeit in very different circumstances.</span></div>
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find Victoria on her <a data-mce-href="http://www.victoriadelderfield.com" href="http://www.victoriadelderfield.com/">website</a> or chat to her on twitter @delderfi</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Mother-Victoria-Delderfield-ebook/dp/B014REQ0T4/">BUY THE BOOK</a></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-43070758602036563612015-09-28T04:16:00.000-07:002015-09-28T04:16:10.316-07:00The Twenty First Century Tudors - The books of Terry Tyler<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwLi1hcSKdCr-la2G076okrb4m68rDZxbJX_ELiR9Pq0iswqAOV-RyGDKHjUbWCcHKEknT18uMcf5CxSSecx9bZp-uOA_rMJAvkIKWX7-2j2-N7YhyphenhyphenJX1IOYuofFdZ-0D8CtrZg-qWa8/s1600/Kings+%2526+Queens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwLi1hcSKdCr-la2G076okrb4m68rDZxbJX_ELiR9Pq0iswqAOV-RyGDKHjUbWCcHKEknT18uMcf5CxSSecx9bZp-uOA_rMJAvkIKWX7-2j2-N7YhyphenhyphenJX1IOYuofFdZ-0D8CtrZg-qWa8/s200/Kings+%2526+Queens.jpg" width="150" /></a>I've been reading the novels of Terry Tyler, whose books thrust the plots of Tudor history, particularly the Tudor Court, into 20th/21st century big business. In the first book we meet Harry Lanchester (HenryVIII), owner of Lanchester Estates, and his six wives.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06xwhRWvzxtnCNhr8H4uHksQH874aVgHqfG10mubLRUELC0jibq9Bd2WyTVdNA9dsJ9lUITfBykbcevjOvMhVjTx56wxEDkWxp4nHqT2MplHNacm28-v6K0QEpviU1qNwuRxkoqVOSmY/s1600/Last+Child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06xwhRWvzxtnCNhr8H4uHksQH874aVgHqfG10mubLRUELC0jibq9Bd2WyTVdNA9dsJ9lUITfBykbcevjOvMhVjTx56wxEDkWxp4nHqT2MplHNacm28-v6K0QEpviU1qNwuRxkoqVOSmY/s200/Last+Child.jpg" width="150" /></a>In the second, after his death, we see the machinations for the 'throne' of Lanchester Estates. I really enjoyed the first one, but the second one is superb.<br />
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What Terry Tyler does really well is to get the reader into the characters' heads, and by providing us with contrasting personalities this never becomes claustrophobic. I enjoyed experiencing being the dull wife Amy, the neurotic, unbalanced Isabella (in love with the ghastly Philip Castillo of Spain) and the sad teenage monster Jaz.<br />
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And I loved them all. On the surface the characters might seem unlikeable, but I defy you not to understand their point of view, and this is what Tyler does so well, eliciting reader empathy.<br />
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The boardroom battles for control of the business ring true too - complete with the freeloaders, the over-ambitious, and the people who just want a quiet life. Tudor fans will find the links to history give an added level of interest to what is already an excellent book.<br />
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Those readers who remember Dallas and Dynasty on TV will love these, as will Tudor fiction fans, lovers of Jackie Collins blockbusters, and anyone else who loves a good read.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Tyler/e/B00693EGKM">Terry's Amazon Page</a><br />
<a href="http://www.selfpublishingadvice.org/terry-tyler/">Terry's advice for indie writers</a><br />
Follow Terry on <a href="https://twitter.com/terrytyler4">Twitter</a>Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-83045973065304747132015-09-27T07:09:00.000-07:002015-09-27T07:09:37.353-07:00Ghosts of Markyate Manor - Hermit, Heiress, Highwayman<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">
Markyate Manor - scene of many hauntings, is the setting for the Highway Trilogy: Shadow on the Highway, Spirit of the Highway, and Lady of the Highway.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS6_vkkv-MDSSCQyiWaPYeBoH-u34tVVM1YjyV5bdLIFYWK8snVQSSKyokvf_A9NSLAUKJmqnAVxQQO-VN_E2MHqkzNx7uZkuhQw7ca4oucORI745b2BbhO9m0xpfZg3fizq7QpvbXuc/s1600/Common_seal_of_the_Priory_of_Markyate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGS6_vkkv-MDSSCQyiWaPYeBoH-u34tVVM1YjyV5bdLIFYWK8snVQSSKyokvf_A9NSLAUKJmqnAVxQQO-VN_E2MHqkzNx7uZkuhQw7ca4oucORI745b2BbhO9m0xpfZg3fizq7QpvbXuc/s200/Common_seal_of_the_Priory_of_Markyate.jpg" width="122" /></a>The name Markyate is derived from the Old English words <i>meac </i> and <i>geat</i> and means 'the gate at the boundary', presumably between Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. In the 12th century, with the consent of his abbot, a monk went out from st Alban's and into the woods to seek a place to make a hermitage. God apparently guided him to Caddington, not far from Watling Street. There he lived a solitary life, until a woman came to him, Christina, in the firm belief that she too was called to a silent life of contemplation. He duly fastened her into an adjoining cell, where she was walled in for for<em> four years! </em>She saw nobody in all that time<em>, </em>only coming out to walk at dusk when she would see not a soul, supporting herself through her exquisite needlework. She was (unsurprisingly) taken over by heavenly visions, and when the original monk died she had gathered quite a following and was allowed to set up a priory under Benedictine rule. The seal of the Priory can be seen above, and more about Christina's extraordinary life can be found <a data-mce-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Markyate" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Markyate">here</a>.</div>
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The Priory did not fare well during the dissolution because it had become run down, and there were charges of corruption and lack of chastity brought against the nuns. The Priory was eventually demolished in 1537, and Markyate Manor was built on its footprint, although it is still sometimes known as Markyate Cell - George Ferrers retained the name when he bought the land in 1548. The Ferrers family controlled this land when Markyate Cell was the home of Katherine Ferrers, also sometimes known as The Wicked Lady, a title I am hoping to overturn!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-504000-216000/picture/3" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-504000-216000/picture/3"><img alt="Markyate Manor BBC" class="size-medium wp-image-405 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Markyate-Manor-BBC-300x225.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Markyate-Manor-BBC-300x225.jpg" height="225" style="display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a></div>
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The Manor was left to Katherine by her mother, but it was soon in the control of her uncle, Simon Fanshawe, and she was forced into an arranged marriage with his nephew, Thomas Fanshawe. After that, the story gets even more interesting as the legend credits her with being a notorious highwaywoman. She lived in the house through the years of the turbulent English Civil War, much of it alone as her menfolk were away fighting. She finally died there, having been mortally wounded trying to rob a coach on Nomansland.</div>
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Her ghost has been seen dressed in highwayman clothes riding her horse at full gallop, and in 1840 part of Markyate Cell was destroyed by fire, and the blaze was blamed on Lady Katherine. Whilst helping to put out the fire several locals said that they felt a ghostly presence and that they were being watched, by the ghost of Katherine. But Katherine is not the only ghost that haunts this building - in the late 1850s workmen repairing a wall saw the figure of a nun. Perhaps this was the anchorite Christina. The nun has been seen several times since, walking in an avenue near St John's Church.</div>
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<em>In 1957 the bypass around Markyate was being built. A night watchman was sitting by his brazier one night when he looked up and saw someone warming their hands by the fire. The figure was that of a young man who promptly vanished as the night watchman was looking at him. Was this an appearance of Markyate's legendary Phantom who may also haunt Hicks Road and the High Street? </em>Luton Paranormal Society</div>
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So it <img alt="Spirit of the highway final ebook cover" class="size-medium wp-image-404 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Spirit-of-the-highway-final-ebook-cover-188x300.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Spirit-of-the-highway-final-ebook-cover-188x300.jpg" height="300" style="float: left; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 1em 0.5em 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="188" />was not just Lady Katherine Fanshawe that haunted Markyate Manor. There was also a young man.</div>
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There has always been a mysterious figure, Ralph Chaplin, associated with the legend, although I can find no trace of him in historical records. That gave me fuel for thought, and led to the story-line for 'Spirit of the Highway'.</div>
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Like to know more? check out <a data-mce-href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2631259/The-Wicked-Ladys-lair-Lurking-Home-Counties-4million-pile-home-Britains-famous-highwaywoman.html" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2631259/The-Wicked-Ladys-lair-Lurking-Home-Counties-4million-pile-home-Britains-famous-highwaywoman.html">this article</a> in the Daily Mail for a summary of the life and legend of Lady Katherine Ferrers (Fanshawe).</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirit-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B015SZ2FJK/">Spirit of the Highway</a> is out today, published by <a href="http://endeavourpress.com/">Endeavour Press</a>. It is suitable for teens 14+ (and adults too!).<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B015SZ2FJK/">Amazon US</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spirit-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B015SZ2FJK/">Amazon UK</a></div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-88929733432719411142015-09-11T04:44:00.001-07:002015-09-11T04:44:34.455-07:00Female Mystics in Fiction<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: center;">
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I have just finished '<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Illuminations-Novel-Hildegard-Von-Bingen/dp/0544106539">Illuminations'</a> by Mary Sharrat, about Hildegard von Bingen. A reader might be surprised that there could be so much plot in a book which is essentially about a woman enclosed firstly as an anchorite, and later as a nun. However the enclosed nature of her life brings Hildegard into conflict not only with her 'captors' but also with those with whom she shares her religious life, and this provides Sharrat with the meat of the novel. It is also a fascinating glimpse into how difficult living the monastic life actually is. There is Cuno, the jealous Abbott, Volmar her conflicted friend, and the young novices she rescues who later turn to bite the hand that feeds them. </div>
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Of course what sustains Hildegard is her relationship with the Divine, and her music. What sustains the novel is the fact that we empathise with Hildegard almost immediately - who could not, when she is a child walled up against her will? From the very beginning we follow her through her long life as she strives to build her place within Christendom, and finally founds her abbey.</div>
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From a spiritual perspective, the novel is not overly preachy, but rich with quotations from Hildegard's songs and writings, used appropriately through the text. We witness the 'greening'of her life as she becomes more accepting and less resistant to her lot, and as she grows in maturity casting off the selfishness and egotism of material concerns. Highly recommended.<br />
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Other novels I have read that feature diverse women and their spirituality are:</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/chymical-wedding.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/chymical-wedding.jpg"><img alt="chymical wedding" class="alignnone wp-image-386" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/chymical-wedding.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/chymical-wedding.jpg" height="297" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="189" /></a> <a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Evensong.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Evensong.jpg"><img alt="Evensong" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-387" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Evensong-194x300.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Evensong-194x300.jpg" height="300" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="194" /></a> </div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Mists_of_Avalon-1st_ed.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Mists_of_Avalon-1st_ed.jpg"><img alt="Mists_of_Avalon-1st_ed" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-388" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Mists_of_Avalon-1st_ed-203x300.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Mists_of_Avalon-1st_ed-203x300.jpg" height="300" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="203" /></a> <a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Red-Tent.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Red-Tent.jpg"><img alt="Red Tent" class="alignnone wp-image-389" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Red-Tent.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Red-Tent.jpg" height="296" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="197" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Chymical-Wedding-Lindsay-Clarke/dp/1846881145">The Chymical Wedding</a> is about alchemy as a way of spiritual transformation and is set in Victorian England.<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345434773" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345434773"> Evensong</a> picks apart episcopal ministry in a small Virginian town in the USA. <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mists-Avalon-x/dp/0140177191" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mists-Avalon-x/dp/0140177191">The Mists of Avalon</a> explores Arthurian legends and how the Pagan Priestess Morgaine copes with the new religion of Christianity. <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Red-Tent-Anita-Diamant/dp/0330487965" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Red-Tent-Anita-Diamant/dp/0330487965">The Red Tent</a> is about women's mysteries in the Bible, told through the life of Dinah.</div>
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These are all excellently-written books which will provide a great plot, plus spiritual depth and food for thought.</div>
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Please do recommend more in this vein, that you feel I would like. </div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-52496503425268741762015-06-24T03:26:00.000-07:002015-06-24T03:27:44.354-07:00The Importance of Presence for a Writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a writer I have been encouraged by my publishers to meet
my readers online. When having an online conversation I am often talking to a
small square icon or thumbnail, yet this picture is very important to me as an
idea or representation of the essence of the person.</div>
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Recently I went to a writing conference and looked for all
the people I had met online. One by one I managed to identify each person from
their thumbnail, but unsurprisingly the real person was always radically different
from the person I had constructed in my mind from the online conversation. The
icon, along with the typed conversation, flattens out the persona so that it is
hard to get a sense of who is actually there, behind the words. </div>
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When confronted
with a real individual though, it is easy to hear the music of the voice, see
the posture, appreciate the energetic or listening quality of the personality.
In these days of online relationships it is easy to forget this presence – the
most important part of the person.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UN_iKd5E8uLlLqcN7VA5OQo_VHenI1O86948EgdTJBio4gBFHfVtmd33P9V9CYEdJ7EbTknJ8pPoGXJ8I4f4VBKuME2XFm1cBlvsZt9sSfR9XeG0Q4SXGV4h66jYT0AInkprzxjJ8EM/s1600/Tyrol+Sivananda+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UN_iKd5E8uLlLqcN7VA5OQo_VHenI1O86948EgdTJBio4gBFHfVtmd33P9V9CYEdJ7EbTknJ8pPoGXJ8I4f4VBKuME2XFm1cBlvsZt9sSfR9XeG0Q4SXGV4h66jYT0AInkprzxjJ8EM/s320/Tyrol+Sivananda+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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Presence implies a deeper more connected awareness of the
world around us, and so the ability to be a vehicle for what needs to be done.
I believe words can carry presence if the writer is aware whilst writing; and
that words can carry a certain intent. After all, without the written form so
few religious or spiritual ideas of the past would have survived. </div>
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Yet to look at writing only as a way to preserve ideas, i.e.
the end result, is to miss the point, and to forget the importance of presence.
Writing is a form like any other artistic endeavour where the process is as
important as the outcome. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://w3.salemstate.edu/~pglasser/18468462-Dorothea-Brande-Becoming-a-Writer.pdf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Becoming a Writer" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421200325l/76788.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
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In her classic book, still in print since 1934,
‘Becoming a Writer’ Dorothea Brande says that excellent writing has ‘innocence
of eye’ and ‘freshness of response’. To create these qualities we must
discipline ourselves to stop ‘doing’ and spend more time ‘being.’ From
stillness of mind and body united, a new perspective can arise. </div>
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To maintain presence in writing is to cultivate space in
oneself to let new ideas emerge, but more importantly it is to maintain a space
for the response from the reader. After all it is not only the writer, but the
reader who has to imagine the book. Skilful writing is not only about what to
include, but more often about where to leave things open.</div>
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<o:p>I have been a meditator all my adult life, and that is how I find presence in my life. Other people find it by walking in nature, by using mindfulness techniques, or practising yoga. Do feel free to share how you nurture this aspect of your writing.</o:p></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-65180246852298103482015-06-07T09:27:00.000-07:002015-06-07T09:27:51.967-07:00UK Independent Publishers - a 'Do they add value?' check<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.literaryduckblog.org/2013/11/notes-from-an-insider-21/" href="http://www.literaryduckblog.org/2013/11/notes-from-an-insider-21/"><img alt="Stack-of-Books-1024x682" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-365 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stack-of-Books-1024x682-300x199.jpg" height="199" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Stack-of-Books-1024x682-300x199.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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I meet regularly with other novelists to critique our works in progress, drink tea, and discuss the various merits of the biscuits. Recently at one of my novelists group meetings we were discussing independent publishers who might publish a full length novel. I argued that there were not that many, but one of the other group members recently emailed me to say that the Independent Publishers Guild UK (<a data-mce-href="www.ipg.uk.com" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-admin/www.ipg.uk.com">www.ipg.uk.com</a>) have a staggering 580 members! </div>
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So why do I say there are not that many ?</div>
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The answer is, because in my opinion very few <strong>add value</strong> for a novelist, and some add so little value that they are in fact proxy self-publishing. </div>
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There are of course loads of independent publishers that publish everything from memoirs to military to experimental.(eg local-to-me Cicerone Press that publishes mountaineering guides) And a lot of other so-called 'independent' publishers that are actually assisted self-publishing companies e.g. the well-respected Troubadour, Silverwood. (But these self-publishing services will cost you - and rightly so, for the various services they offer.)</div>
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But in fact there are very few independents that <strong>publish full length novels, don't charge the author anything at all, and do add value</strong>.</div>
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These days most publishers of fiction offer e-books as a matter of course, (and some only e-books) so lets assume that as a given, that they will at least upload your book to Amazon. Publishing is easy these days, so publishers have to do more than just upload an ebook and offer a badly-designed POD paperback to win my vote.</div>
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So what exactly do I mean by 'add value?'</div>
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<strong>PHYSICAL VALUE</strong></div>
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a) Offer distribution of physical books to bookshops (ie I don't have to carry my books to my local bookseller myself)</div>
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b) Offer proper editing, proof-reading, interior layout and typesetting (i.e not just an edit through an online programme such as Autocrit, or reproducing your Word Document as a book)</div>
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c) Offer a print run (however limited) that is not just Print on Demand such as CreateSpace. By the time the publisher adds their cut, it makes the books too expensive in comparison with other traditional publishers, and therefore they fail to sell. Who will buy a £12.99 paperback when similar titles sell for £7.99?</div>
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d) Offer an individual marketing strategy for your book, including promoting it to bookshops and libraries, in other words <strong>not</strong> just bunging it on their website and newsletter and hoping for the best.</div>
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I reckon many independent publishers fail on one or more of those counts. They rely on you to sell your books to family, friends and your network, and then take royalties for the very little effort they have put in, which usually just involves adding a cheaply-designed cover and uploading your word document as a book to kindle, POD and their website. I admit these things take time, and incur costs for the publisher. But in most cases you would be better off self-publishing than giving this type of publisher a substantial part of your royalties when they add so little value to what is in the end <em>your</em> product.</div>
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There are many 'independent' publishers that look convincing, but are actually not that good for the author. Eg take a look at this fairly typical <a data-mce-href="http://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/" href="http://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/">independent publisher </a> It looks great, until you read under their submissions guidelines: <span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">'Depending on how many we think it could sell, we offer varying levels of contract. About one in ten of the titles on the list have a<strong> subsidy from the author, directed either towards more editorial or marketing work</strong> than we can normally provide.' Non-fiction sells well, so p</span><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">erhaps</span> 1 in ten is actually most of the fiction, but of course you wouldn't know that if you were the submitting author.</div>
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or <a data-mce-href="http://www.austinmacauley.com/about" href="http://www.austinmacauley.com/about">this one</a>: 'A traditional partnership agreement entails the same benefits as a mainstream agreement. However, as the writer you may be asked to cover part of the cost of publishing the book. We follow all traditional industry etiquettes with regards to the promotion and marketing of the title in addition to all other avenues involved in the process.'</div>
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From another niche <a data-mce-href="http://www.netherworldbooks.com/netherworld/f-a-q/" href="http://www.netherworldbooks.com/netherworld/f-a-q/">Independent Publisher </a>website: <em>'</em>We believe that as an author it is your responsibility to ensure that your work is of a reasonable standard before submitting to us. We can recommend a proof editor if you wish but that would be outside of our arrangement with you and you would contract them yourself.'</div>
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If you are going to pay, why not self-publish or use openly assisted self-publishing like Silverwood Books?</div>
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<strong>PSYCHOLOGICAL VALUE</strong></div>
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Of course I am not negating the psychological value of having your work accepted by a publisher. After receiving a lot of rejections (and we all get them!) it feels brilliant to have your book accepted by somebody. Anybody! A friend of mine recently had her novel accepted by a small independent publisher. She was over the moon until she read on Link'd In that her commissioning editor had just left school, had never worked in publishing before, but had done two weeks work experience for a book promotion company. So if literary validation is important to you, don't forget to Google who is reading your manuscript and whether they are actually more qualified to make a judgement on your work than your local newsagent.</div>
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However, there can certainly be psychological (and monetary) value in accessing a like-minded community. If you have a book that suits a niche audience, then there can be value in a niche publisher and in becoming part of that network, but check the network is not just other hopeful authors like yourself.</div>
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a) See if the books from that publisher have won any prizes or been nominated for an award (or sold millions - we wish!)</div>
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b) Check whether any of the books been endorsed by writers or critics you have actually heard of, not just 'Brilliant' - Amazon Reviewer</div>
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b) For niche markets, eg horror, fantasy, experimental, check that the publisher seems to have good networking links with their community. Eg Do they blog? If so, check out their blog.</div>
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<strong>CONVENIENCE VALUE</strong></div>
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OK, so you are technologically inept, and it's much easier to hand it to a publisher and let them do it, if they accept your submission. But if it doesn't get edited or properly laid out, if it has a bad cover, if it only reaches a few other writers who go to their website, and if it is too expensive to be attractive in bookshops, the <em>convenience</em> soon becomes inconvenient. You haven't the control to do anything about it, the way you would have had if you had self published - and you are still paying them via your royalties.</div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, for full length commercial/literary novels I can safely say the following independent print publishers do add value - not an exhaustive list, and in no particular order. They all have beautiful websites and beautiful books that you sometimes see in bookshops - a good sign.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Bloomsbury*, </span><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Alma<a data-mce-href="http://www.almabooks.com/" href="http://www.almabooks.com/"></a>, </span><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Myrmidon, </span>Honno Press, Parthian Books, Myriad Editions, <span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Allison and Busby*, Serpent's Tail, Valley Press, </span><span data-mce-style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">C</span>anongate*, Legend, Salt, Cinnamon Press, Accent Press, Cillian Press.</span></div>
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Some of these require you have an agent right now to submit (those marked with asterisks), some don't, but for a bigger list of small independent publishers check out <a data-mce-href=" http://nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/list-of-independent-publishers-in-the-uk" href="http://nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/list-of-independent-publishers-in-the-uk">Nottingham Writers Studio</a>. If you want to see a list of other small presses, check out <a data-mce-href="http://llpp.ms11.net/" href="http://llpp.ms11.net/">Lollipop</a>. And here's a complete <a data-mce-href="http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/publisher.php#publisher6" href="http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/publisher.php#publisher6">list of UK publishers</a> competing in The People's Book Prize.</div>
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Anyone who can recommend more excellent independent publishers to add to this list - please do!</div>
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Thank you to crime noir writer Tess Makovesky for prompting this post. Find her at <a data-mce-href="http://www.tessmakovesky.com/" href="http://www.tessmakovesky.com/">www.tessmakovesky.com</a></div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-69951644524884217892015-05-20T11:32:00.005-07:002015-05-20T11:35:11.320-07:00Editing historical fiction, my way<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I am in the middle of edits for two of my books, one a young adult novel and one a 400 page adult novel. These are the edits I make before I send out to my agent, a publisher, or in some cases the public. There will be other edits later, but as some publishing houses edit very heavily, some hardly at all, it pays to be picky with your work.</div>
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Recently I have seen a plethora of writing books suggesting that you should edit in 'one pass'.</div>
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This does not work for me because of the amount of research I need to check. So here is my editing process. It takes as long as the actual writing of the book.</div>
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I always work with a printed copy of the manuscript, and initially I am editing for story. </div>
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I read like a reader and not a writer, to identify whether the nuts and bolts of the story work. At its heart, story is about change, so if it's getting static, alarm bells ring. I mark parts that are slow or boring with a big red pen. Though sometimes boring does not mean cutting stuff, but adding more detail to make it interesting and bring it to life. </div>
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Usually the first time I print out the draft it needs a lot of re-working - new chunks need to be written and others lopped off. At this stage I do extensive re-writes. That copy is then like an old rag covered in scribble and crossings out and is re-cycled onto our log-burner!</div>
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After more work on the computer to streamline the story, I'm ready for a more detailed edit. Usually I send this newer version out to some readers so I can incorporate their comments when I work on the next edit. One way of speeding it up is to mark all the pages that need edits with sticky post-its. I use the same manuscript and just go through it with different colours for each editing pass. Then with the copy next to me with its rainbow fringe, I trawl through the manuscript a page at a time making all the necessary alterations. At this point I am usually fuelled by coffee, a looming deadline, and a desperation to get it finished and move onto the next book.</div>
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Here are the passes I make:</div>
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<li><b>edit for character</b>. Go through each major character's arc of action and emotion. Check what they are doing in the scenes where they are absent, and try to refer to these actions in the scenes where they are present. Get a sense of their daily routine - for example how long it takes them to dress, their relationship with servants or 'betters', and their class in relation to other characters. Check how they are feeling; that it is consistent, and that it has development. Make sure their attitudes are consistent with the period.</li>
<li><b>edit for theme</b>. Highlight any themes that drive the novel, make sure sub-plots echo these themes. Look for metaphor, symbol and meaning. Try to find parallels with today, and highlight them. They will be useful when you have to promote or tell people about your book.</li>
<li><b>edit for time-scale</b>. In historical fiction it is particularly important to get dates right, and for the narrative to fit within certain fixed parameters or historical milestones. Check travelling times - horseback and boat are very slow, but mail can be surprisingly quick.</li>
<li><b>edit like the most eagle-eyed historian</b>. I have made small errors in my books, (really sorry ) but not because I did not care - I did my best to make the history right! Often it is little things (like the taking for granted of walls and hedges before the enclosures act) that catch you out. Question everything and double check your research. Keep notes in case someone queries your sources. Make notes about where you have changed, bent, or ignored supposedly 'known facts', and why. Two books down the line you might not remember why, but an expert reading your book is bound to write to you and ask.</li>
<li><b>edit for anachronistic dialogue</b>, and for dialogue that fits the character. It is easy to slip into modernism in dialogue, and the quickest way to lose your historical atmosphere. Seemingly innocuous phrases like 'Oh my God' have taken on a distinctly teenage flavour since OMG!</li>
<li><b>edit for good English</b> - cut out uninteresting language, spelling mistakes, faulty grammar and typos, or get someone else to proofread it.</li>
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My novel grows about 10% during this edit as I re-work dialogue, fill plot loopholes and deepen character.</div>
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What is your editing process? Do you have any tips or tricks?</div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-81221912196589800212015-05-10T12:18:00.002-07:002015-05-10T12:30:53.897-07:00History, Mystery, Humour - A Cruel Necessity by L C Tyler<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8313651519637984862" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruel-Necessity-John-Historical-Mystery/dp/1472115031" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8313651519637984862" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruel-Necessity-John-Historical-Mystery/dp/1472115031" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruel-Necessity-John-Historical-Mystery/dp/1472115031"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSaGH5-zJv_sMf6FMsGswh9DRD8qPqPWBiXxhtPTaMqvUylvYvWpP3zWAuOTiltf770wKE45H0fVpcMXX2FpBesX2Ox0jRB9yqus5RZtdOg7sUYUgmEwLkyzJSGlz8bA9N7qTHuwtJJg/s320/A+cruel+Necessity.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
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'A Cruel Necessity' by L C Tyler is unique - crime fiction set during Cromwell's rule after the English Civil Wars.</div>
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What makes this mystery different is the intentionally humorous twist. This is a period I love, and L C Tyler has done a great job of bringing it to life, in all its grubby glory. The plot includes the spying activities of Thurloe, the nebulously changing factions of Roundheads and Cavaliers, and the sheer difficulty of identifying a murder suspect in the era before forensics. </div>
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Our main character, John Grey, is a very likeable trainee lawyer, intelligent but naive, and his blundering but well-intentioned attempts to bring the murderer to justice are thwarted at every turn by men (and women) more world-weary than himself. The delights of this novel lie in the clever and witty dialogue, and in the satisfyingly complex plot, which includes code-breaking and red herrings galore, and even a brief appearance by Pepys. </div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8313651519637984862" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruel-Necessity-John-Historical-Mystery/dp/1472115031" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Right up until the end I was as baffled as Grey, but when the resolution came, it was a corker. Clever, witty stuff, and I hope there will be many more in this series.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZsEUYyhUgyQnRlck12fy9qeiXLTBOLhMDmglQCNRo_0We9VqC0cBeQ82dO0gYw51xnoyyaHtabw1J53fDav6sg5DZ97mSNrO1139riCCU9Gqcyblyw4WfAroUIbXacreE8anwSBxPrA/s1600/Painted+Lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZsEUYyhUgyQnRlck12fy9qeiXLTBOLhMDmglQCNRo_0We9VqC0cBeQ82dO0gYw51xnoyyaHtabw1J53fDav6sg5DZ97mSNrO1139riCCU9Gqcyblyw4WfAroUIbXacreE8anwSBxPrA/s1600/Painted+Lady.jpg" /></a>If you like the name Araminta, (sadly out of fashion right now!) you might also like <b>The Painted Lady by Edward Marston</b>, another historical whodunnit featuring a woman of this name, but very different from the Araminta in 'A Cruel Necessity'. This time the novel is set later in the seventeenth century after the Restoration, (my favourite period) and features sleuth Chistopher Redmayne the architect, and his sidekick Constable Jonathan Bale.</div>
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Both books are pleasurably tight and compact reads at just over 300 pages.</div>
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Publishers: Constable & Robinson, and Allison & Busby.</div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-14304118701088660912015-03-21T03:35:00.001-07:002015-03-21T03:39:34.546-07:00The Wicked Lady – Katherine Fanshawe<br />
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<a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for Magdalen Ki8ng Hall wicked Lady book" border="0" 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" 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I am not the first writer to be inspired by the life and legend of Lady Katherine Fanshawe.<br />
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The first novel based on her life was by Magdalen King-Hall who wrote a book called The Life and Death of the Wicked Lady Skelton in 1945. I have a copy and it is exciting reading, though long-winded in the telling by today’s standards. The book was a smash hit in its day and was made into a film - The Wicked Lady.<br />
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The film starred Margaret Lockwood in the title role as a nobleman's wife who secretly becomes a highwayman to relieve her life of boredom. The mystery of why she would take such an extreme action was the sensation of its day – women were supposed to be safe at home doing the housekeeping! The film had one of the top audiences ever for a film of its period, 18.4 million – a staggering number. I can remember my mother talking about it as one of her favourite films.<br />
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It was one of the Gainsborough melodramas, a sequence of very popular films made during the 1940s in wartime Britain. They provided pure escapism from the deprivation of WWII, with lavish sets and costumes and period settings, and the films were often based on historical novels.<br />
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Here is the trailer for the 1945 film – great costumes, but from it you get the melodramatic flavour of the plot. In fact, before it could be released in the US, re-shooting was required as the women's bodices were very low-cut and showed too much cleavage for the American censors.<br />
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It was such a hit that the film was re-made in 1983 and starred Faye Dunaway in the lead role. (Poster from <a href="http://www.moviepostercompany.co.uk/">www.moviepostercompany.co.uk</a>) The film was a disaster and earned Faye Dunaway an award for the Worst Actress!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35WTwsAfdAXJmS8FTQAqJy38qoeNV9RN_ylIIF8pPsNgFwT7opR0ex9BHWWEfQRcZe7OB8aqwhSy4Tc5DlZwp6Mv5g6oJ45Svi1v634uYEIH4qdHDngbE4x3aQCTUqCrCTqd9ATzxGAYY/s1600/shadow+on+the+highway+poster.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh35WTwsAfdAXJmS8FTQAqJy38qoeNV9RN_ylIIF8pPsNgFwT7opR0ex9BHWWEfQRcZe7OB8aqwhSy4Tc5DlZwp6Mv5g6oJ45Svi1v634uYEIH4qdHDngbE4x3aQCTUqCrCTqd9ATzxGAYY/s400/shadow+on+the+highway+poster.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />
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In my retelling of the story I have stuck to historical facts more than King-Hall did, including keeping the original names. Research into the background of the English Civil War provided me with plausible plot devices that enabled me to stick with the history more closely. However, as this is a novel for younger readers (14+) I wanted to retain the swashbuckling feel if possible, without making it into a melodrama. My story is told over three stand-alone books with three different points of view, the first book, Shadow on the Highway, is told from the point of view of Abigail, Lady Katherine’s deaf maidservant. You can find out more about how I researched her <a href="http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/what-inspired-deaf-maidservant-in.html#.VAUlBPkeGSp">here</a>.<br />
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This post first appeared on the <a href="http://letthemreadbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/the-wicked-lady-blog-tour-guest-post-by.html">Let Them Read Books Blog.</a> Why not visit the site for more historical fiction, and interesting guest posts.</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-89935355587480277222015-03-08T09:00:00.000-07:002015-03-08T09:00:00.235-07:00Nursing in the 1940's and 50's - Fetch Nurse Connie<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I am thrilled to welcome Jean Fullerton to my blog today, to chat about her latest book and the way in which she researched and wrote the story. Known for her wonderful Powerpoint presentations about East End London life, Jean brings all her research and life experience in the NHS to her books about 1940's and 50's nursing.</div>
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<a data-mce-href=" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fetch-Nurse-Connie-Jean-Fullerton-ebook/dp/B00S53JGXQ/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XF0R2F4QWSNJQ8XFE19" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fetch-Nurse-Connie-Jean-Fullerton-ebook/dp/B00S53JGXQ/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XF0R2F4QWSNJQ8XFE19"><img alt="Fetch Nurse Connie - Cover 18th Feb th Jan 2015..doc" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-344 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fetch-Nurse-Connie-Cover-18th-Feb-th-Jan-2015..doc-197x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Fetch-Nurse-Connie-Cover-18th-Feb-th-Jan-2015..doc-197x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="197" /></a></div>
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<strong>Fetch Nurse Connie will be the fifth book in the East End Nurses series. How have circumstances in healthcare changed for Millie and Connie since the first book?</strong></div>
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I purposely set <em>Call Nurse Millie</em> in the years after the end of the WW2 and before the introduction of the NHS in 1948 so people could see what the system of health care before the NHS was actually like. In the first book of the series Millie and Connie are employed by a local Nursing Association which is a voluntary organisation supported by subscriptions and fundraising rather than central funding. The second book A<em>ll Change for Nurse Millie</em> starts on 5<sup>th</sup> July 1948, the day the NHS came into being so I could show the changes to the new system and some of the problems it had from the very start.</div>
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As Connie is Millie’s closest friend and we meet her a great deal in Millie’s story it seemed natural to tell her story in Fetch Nurse Connie, during the same time period. Like Millie’s, Connie’s story starts on VE-Day 1945 when the old health system was still in place so we see Connie not only grappling with the her patients illnesses but also the social conditions of the time.</div>
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<strong>Your books are impeccably researched. What are the two most valuable resources you use for discovering about medicine in the 1950's?</strong></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jean1-web-picture.png" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jean1-web-picture.png"><img alt="jean1 web picture" class="size-medium wp-image-345 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jean1-web-picture-212x300.png" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/jean1-web-picture-212x300.png" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="212" /></a></div>
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Thank you for saying so, Deborah. Unlike my previous 19<sup>th</sup> century books the East London Nurses’ Series is within living memory so I have the great privilege of being able to speak to nurses who worked in East London during that time. However, my most valuable research resources are my collection of 1930s, 40s and 50s nursing and midwifery text books. These include books on child health, contraception, midwifery, nursing dictionaries and a 1945 doctor’s prescribing dictionary, all of which I have to hand all the time. The most valuable of these books is the 1947 edition of Merry and Irven’s District Nursing. This was the text book all trainee Queen’s Nurses’ would have bought. It has everything from clinical procedures to the various charitable institutions of the time like the Sick Children’s’ Fund and the Destitute Relief Board. It also sets out how fees were calculated and the proper administration of a local Nursing Association. It was totally invaluable in helping me breathe life into district nursing during that period. There is also a breakdown of the way the new Welfare State was to be implemented and how much the individuals had to contribute in to the National Insurance Scheme before they were entitled to receive benefits. I also think I must have every nurses biography of the 20<sup>th</sup> century and a few before.</div>
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<strong>Apart from Millie, who is your favourite character to write? Is he/she constructed around a real person from the past?</strong></div>
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I actually enjoy writing her friend Connie, who is the heroine of the new book. She has a very different story and other issues in her professional and personal life to cope with. Unlike Millie she is part of a large East End family, very like my own. After her fiancé’s home-coming takes and unexpected turn Connie finds herself spending a great deal of time trying to put her heartache behind her and convince her mother and two sisters that there’s more to life than marriage and children.</div>
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I never consciously construct a character around anyone in particular but I hope Connie, like Millie, is a little bit like the nurse I strive to be.</div>
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<strong>What would surprise Connie and Millie most about nursing today?</strong></div>
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As a registered district nurse with 20 years’ experience working in East London I’m sad to say that today ‘care’ sometimes seems missing out of the equation. Not by nurses’ I might say. I teach nursing at a London University and can assure you the vast majority of the nurses I nurture through their 3 year’s training are kind and compassion and I’d be happy for them to nurse any of my nearest and dearest. Sadly, it’s the overburdened NHS full of targets, statistics and research that sometimes put unbearable pressure on them. In Millie and Connie’s day a nurse was responsible for all their patients’ needs. This included housework, personal care and nutrition along with the more obvious nursing tasks such as dressings and medication. However, I’m sure she’d be amazed at the range of drugs now available – especially those to regular body systems such as diabetes, high blood-pressure and pain relief plus being able to undertake such complex operation as open heart surgery and joint replacements.</div>
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<strong>How carefully do you plan your books? Do you have a strong outline, or do the characters know where they want to go?</strong></div>
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Because I weave at least six patients’ stories through Connie’s over-arching story I plan my novels very carefully on a colour coded table. This allows me to space out Connie’s meeting with her patients, family and her ex-fiancé Charlie. I can also see, for example of there are too many scenes with her family bunched together or if there’s too much space between her patients as we see their stories.</div>
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Of course it changes as I get to know the characters and ideas come to me but it gives me a place to start.</div>
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Thanks for asking me to drop by Deborah and for anyone who might want to read Connie’s story here’s a quick insight.</div>
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<b><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;">Fetch Nurse Connie.</span></b></div>
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Connie Byrne, a nurse in London's East End working alongside Millie Sullivan from <i>Call Nurse Millie</i>, is planning her wedding to Charlie Ross, set to take place as soon as he returns from the war. But when she meets him off the train at London Bridge, she finds that his homecoming isn't going to go according to plan.</div>
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Connie's busy professional life, and the larger-than-life patients in the district, offer a welcome distraction, but for how long?</div>
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Available from Orion Fiction on kindle, paperback and hardback on 4<sup>th</sup> June 2015</div>
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<strong>Click on the bookcover to pre-order.</strong></div>
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Easter with Nurse Millie out 19th March<br />Fetch Nurse Connie out 4th June 2015.<br />All Change for Nurse Millie<br />Christmas with Nurse Millie e-novella.<br />Call Nurse Millie.</div>
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Website: <a data-mce-href="http://www.jeanfullerton.com/" href="http://www.jeanfullerton.com/" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>jeanfullerton.com</a></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-64803267186570030322015-02-24T06:56:00.002-08:002015-02-24T06:56:31.238-08:00Award-winning author Charlotte Betts reveals her favourite English chateau<div data-mce-style="text-align: center;" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: center;">
<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chateau-Lake-Charlotte-Betts-ebook/dp/B00LTUC9ZE/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chateau-Lake-Charlotte-Betts-ebook/dp/B00LTUC9ZE/"><img alt="9780349404493" class="size-medium wp-image-319 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/9780349404493-190x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/9780349404493-190x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="190" /></a></div>
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<br />I have just finished Charlotte Betts' latest novel, Chateau on the Lake, which is yet another gripping romance from this award-winning novelist. I first came across Charlotte because she has written several books in one of my favourite periods - the seventeenth century, but for this novel we are invited to explore the 18th century and Revolutionary France.<br />
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After the death of her parents Madeleine Moreau must travel to France to search for the relatives she has heard of, but never met. The meeting proves disastrous and she is given shelter at Chateau Mirabelle, a breathtakingly beautiful castle which is home to the aristocrat Etienne D'Aubery. Of course there is a little competition for Madeleine's affections, with the handsome Jean Luc, and plenty of dark and sinister secrets in the Chateau's past.<br />
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Charlotte Betts recreates the detail of the period painstakingly, whilst still providing a pacy and satisfying romance. The sense of the course of the French revolution with all its horrors - the guillotine, the starving peasants, the mob violence - all these are faithfully depicted, whilst never losing the forward momentum of the plot. It is a hard thing to do, to juggle romance against such gritty realism, but Charlotte Betts does it seamlessly.<br />
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I wondered, after the attractions of France, which would be Charlotte's favourite English chateau, a place in which to spend a quiet afternoon - </div>
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<span data-mce-style="color: #333399;" style="color: #333399;">Corfe Castle is one of my favourite historical sites to visit. We often holiday in Dorset and I love the way the castle is the focal point of the village. It's always been sunny when I've visited and I like to sit quietly in the sunshine and allow the tourists' voices fade away. If I close my eyes and listen to the echoes of time it's almost possible to unlock the secrets of the past. I conjure up a vision of Lady Mary Bankes who, when her husband was away, led the defence of the castle during a six week siege by the Parliamentarians. What a wonderful novel that would make! Perhaps I shall write about that one day.</span></div>
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<em>Charlotte </em></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle/" href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle/"><img alt="National Trust" class="size-medium wp-image-322 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/National-Trust-300x168.jpg" height="168" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/National-Trust-300x168.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Corfe Castle, National Trust" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.lymington.org/placestovisit/corfecastle.html" href="http://www.lymington.org/placestovisit/corfecastle.html" title="Corfe Castle"><img alt="Corfe" class="size-full wp-image-321 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Corfe.jpg" height="195" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Corfe.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="258" /></a></div>
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With her talk of English Civil War sieges, I might just beat her to it. (Only joking of course!)<br />
Find out more about Charlotte Betts on her <a data-mce-href="http://www.charlottebetts.com/" href="http://www.charlottebetts.com/">website</a></div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-40172604959425504572015-02-18T03:11:00.000-08:002015-02-18T03:11:22.141-08:00Red Rose, White Rose - Joanna Hickson researches Cecily Neville<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
My article on <em>Red Rose White Rose</em> by Joanna Hickson - <em>Queen of the Castle</em>. is featured in the Historical Novel Society Magazine this month. You can find it <a data-mce-href="http://historicalnovelsociety.org/queen-of-the-castle-joanna-hicksons-red-rose-white-rose/" href="http://historicalnovelsociety.org/queen-of-the-castle-joanna-hicksons-red-rose-white-rose/">here</a> on their website if you are a member of the HNS. If you like historical fiction, why not join? </div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Rose-White-Joanna-Hickson/dp/0007447019" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Rose-White-Joanna-Hickson/dp/0007447019"><img alt="Red Rose White Rose" class="size-medium wp-image-312 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Red-Rose-White-Rose-225x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Red-Rose-White-Rose-225x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></a></div>
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For those who are not members, here's a little insight...</div>
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The article describes how Joanna Hickson's research for this densely researched novel took her on a journey to visit a number of castles where Cecily Neville lived, in order to build a picture and soak up the atmosphere. A heavy fall of snow made two particularly difficult. She tells us that Maxstoke Castle, a place where Cecily was under house arrest later in her life, was a classic four-square medieval moated castle, ‘a small jewel as opposed to a rambling fortress.’ Joanna explained, ‘The gates are still fortified with the iron-cladding installed by Cecily Neville's brother-in-law, Humphrey, 1st Duke of Buckingham and bear his cypher.' Here is Joanna's picture of that snowy day - there was no room for it in the article.</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><img alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" class="size-medium wp-image-311 " data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PICT2394-300x202.jpg" height="202" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PICT2394-300x202.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /></dt>
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The other difficult castle to visit was apparently Ludlow. Looking round these castles in the snow, she says, 'gave me a very good impression of the dangers faced by the inhabitants of a freezing, draughty castle in winter.’</div>
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<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ludlow.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ludlow.jpg"><img alt="Ludlow" class="size-full wp-image-313 " data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ludlow.jpg" height="160" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ludlow.jpg" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; border: 0px none; cursor: default; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="240" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px;">Ludlow Castle</dd></dl>
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According to Joanna, ‘Fotheringhay was Cecily Neville's favourite castle. 'It is where Richard III was born and, a hundred years later, Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded – two monarchs whose tragic histories may have caused it's subsequent decline into a mere footprint in the soil of the Northamptonshire landscape.’</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M070998/Fotheringhay-Castle" href="http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/M070998/Fotheringhay-Castle"><img alt="Fotheringhay Castle" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-314 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/M070998-300x256.jpg" height="256" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/M070998-300x256.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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Cecily Neville is a fascinating character, and in <em>Red Rose, White Rose</em> we watch her mature against the background of constant in-fighting by her male relations. If you are a fan of the Wars of the Roses period, then this is a wonderful read. By the introduction of Cuthbert, Cecily's fictional illegitimate half-brother, we get an insight from a male as well as a female perspective into the feuding Plantagenets and their bloody battles for land and stronghold. Recommended.</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-62242669387179560122015-02-10T06:55:00.000-08:002015-02-10T06:57:35.341-08:00Learning and Leisure - the disappearance of 'Night School'<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<a data-mce-href="http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/10639487.Learning_really_is_fun_at_adult_education_classes/" href="http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/10639487.Learning_really_is_fun_at_adult_education_classes/"><img alt="25-ep-evening-class-03-W1200" class="size-medium wp-image-301 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/25-ep-evening-class-03-W1200-300x225.jpg" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/25-ep-evening-class-03-W1200-300x225.jpg" height="225" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></a></div>
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In the old days people went to 'Night School' to learn a new skill, like a language, or carpentry, or DIY, or car maintenance, and you had to book well in advance to secure your place. That idea morphed into 'Adult Education', and that into 'Adult and Community Education', as if by adding the word 'community', whole communities would suddenly be engaged in out of hours education. For the past couple of decades I have been a teacher for adults at day and evening classes and have noticed big changes in the way adults learn and are taught. Class numbers are dwindling, and the average age is getting older. Aren't younger people interested in leaning new skills, I wondered?</div>
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The first thing you notice if you turn up at a government-funded leisure class is the mounds of paperwork. The increase in paperwork was first highlighted as far back as 2008 in <a data-mce-href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2008/apr/15/formfillingcouldkilloffadu" href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2008/apr/15/formfillingcouldkilloffadu">this article </a> in The Guardian. On the obligatory termly feedback forms, learners ask over and over again for less paperwork, but their pleas are ignored, despite the fact this might be the <em>only</em> criticism they have of the class. The vast amount of paperwork is to ensure quality of teaching, an admirable aim, but remember, these are adult customers we are talking about, not children forced into a learning environment. If they don't feel the class meets their needs they can ask to choose another course, ask for a refund, or complain. Few do, as the quality of teaching is often excellent, with or without the 'peer review, mid-term survey 'etc etc.</div>
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Some of the classes are classes earn you a qualification, for example an NVQ or similar, but according to the Adult Learning Survey figures, only 25% of the classes are of this type. The rest are leisure learning classes such as 'Holiday French', 'Watercolour Painting', 'Guitar for Beginners'. These provide a social as well as an educational function, though the coffee breaks might well now be consumed by form-filling, as the learners puzzle over whether or not they really know how to play Scarborough Fair well enough to tick it off on their list of objectives, and whether or not playing to each other counts as evidence, or whether the tutor must video it.</div>
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The amount of paperwork has meant Adult Education teachers in subjects such as the Arts, Sport or subjects such as Yoga have given up with a system which demands they do initial assessments on people who don't want to be assessed. Adults who have come to a class to relax or because they failed in school find that their first lesson (even in Yoga) consists of an assessment of their current ability, (slightly scary) and that the whole scheme of paperwork is managed by, believe it or not - the school inspectors, Ofsted. Students are confronted by a 'what are your objectives' questionnaire, often when they are a total beginner to a subject. e.g.Q: 'Astronomy - what are your personal learning goals in this class?' A: 'Er...I would like to know more about the stars.'</div>
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The National Adult Learning Survey 2010 <em>'has recorded a steep decline in non-formal and informal learning compared with previous NALS. Participation in formal learning is unchanged. The decline in non-formal learning coincides with the shift in public funding away from short courses in favour of longer courses leading to nationally recognised qualifications.'</em></div>
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At the same time, there has been a huge rise in the number of people who now head for the U3A - the University of the Third Age. The U3A runs its classes as interest groups. There is no paperwork, and the teachers are unpaid volunteers. You can join as long as you are retired or semi-retired, and in these days of the internet, lots of people are semi-retired or work part-time from home. Many of the retired people who used to support Local Authority Adult Education classes have joined the U3A, and groups are thriving and bursting at the seams. This is for several reasons - first because the cost is so cheap to attendees - £1 or £1.50 a class, plus a nominal joining fee. Secondly, there is no paperwork to do and no exams. Thirdly, the classes (described as interest groups) are led by enthusiasts for their subject, who again are often excellent teachers, and the classes are designed to be guided by the needs of the attendees.</div>
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But the biggest rival of all to Adult Education and the U3A is the internet. Now you can tutor yourself in just about anything on-line. A friend of mine recently learnt how to french-polish a table via an online tutorial, including setting fire to the polish. He wasn't warned not to try it at home. In one way, this method of learning is extremely empowering. The emphasis is firmly on the learner motivating him/herself, and there is something to be said for making mistakes in the privacy of your own home where no-one will see you, or grade you out of 10.</div>
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So what is lost? In all these ways of learning the inspiration of a one-to-one relationship with a teacher/mentor. I can't imagine anyone will remember their online tutor in quite the same way as they remember someone they have actually had face-to-face contact with. I remember my teachers as people first, and as teachers second. (Thank you, Mrs Wells, Mr Thurloe, Mike Robson, Chris Bostock). Enthusiasm can come over online, but it is not the same as being galvanized by the personal attention of someone who sets you on fire to learn. With the internet method of learning we have to rely on inspiring ourselves, and perhaps that is a good thing, but perhaps we will miss the real-life contact with someone who cares about our progress as an individual.</div>
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The U3A method keeps a sharing relationship open, but runs the risk of tutors being unqualified or inexperienced in their subject. Health and Fitness courses in particular are much in demand with the older age-group, but the U3A has few members qualified enough to lead them. The Adult Education model focuses narrowly on judging quality of teaching by whether or not the forms are filled, and not on the invisible relationship between learner and teacher. The internet appeals massively to men, conspicuously absent at most of these classes, but engaging with learning online. There is a strong appeal to them in Doing It Yourself.</div>
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As a creative writing tutor, I have seen a big shift away from learning in class to learning online. Is this an advantage or disadvantage to the learner? What do you think? Is leisure learning important? If leisure learning classes were to disappear altogether, would anything be lost?</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-44838071851003056972015-02-06T04:33:00.000-08:002015-02-06T04:33:27.469-08:00Page-turning fiction - can it be memorable?<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I've just finished a book I've been working on for about eighteen months, and now I am catching up with my reading.</div>
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As writers we are encouraged to hook the reader by encouraging them not to pause, but to keep on turning the pages. But - one thing I have noticed is that the more tension there is in the plot, and the faster the pages are turning, the less specific detail I absorb, and the less memorable a scene actually becomes. This means that often the climax, the supposed highlight of the whole book, goes by with barely much attention from the reader.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/61hiH7Mks-L._SY344_BO1204203200_.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/61hiH7Mks-L._SY344_BO1204203200_.jpg"><img alt="61hiH7Mks-L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_" class="wp-image-292 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/61hiH7Mks-L._SY344_BO1204203200_-197x300.jpg" height="180" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/61hiH7Mks-L._SY344_BO1204203200_-197x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="118" /></a>I was recently reading <em>The Miniaturist</em> by Jessie Burton. I can remember with great pleasure the early scenes, the loving description of the new house where the new wife is to live and its bizarre and expensive counterpart, the miniature house. But once I am concerned about the life or death of Nella's husband I am too busy flipping the pages to sink deep into the words, and although the early part of the book was memorable for me, the latter part was much less so.</div>
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Plausibility is also an issue here, because real life is not so frenzied. The passages in my own writing where the pages are turning, are also the ones most likely to be in need of a reality check. So I recognise Ms Burton's problem. Thrillers are not renowned for being memorable because a thriller writer has this juggling act all the time - the more unlikely the plot, the more the writer must convince the reader by supplying a slew of specifics, explanatory detail, incontrovertible data. But the same is also true of any other novel, including my own genre of historical fiction.</div>
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A good novel perhaps should allow the reader passages where the reader must slow and think, and drink in the words, but also produce enough pace to keep readers motivated to carry on. Many novels that have stayed with me are very long. This could be because the length allows depth, and a long novel can have multiple high-points, and corresponding multiple episodes of deepening, where we can take on more detail.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/download-1.jpg" href="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/download-1.jpg"><img alt="download (1)" class=" wp-image-293 alignleft" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/download-1.jpg" height="169" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/download-1.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; float: left;" width="107" /></a>What do you think? And is this a balance that is easy to achieve? A book that does this perfectly, to my mind, is <em>The Book Thief</em> by Marcus Zusak. Page-turning, and memorable.</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-11870952076924711112015-01-23T04:30:00.000-08:002015-01-23T08:55:16.601-08:00The Historic House Locations for Wolf Hall<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30930496"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjXsA5IB6HkxKCowkxI4R1E99_U6rokXsJs_avVU8_FFbWkvujNyJGq_49gONxB7HR6-vsu1XMc-wJliqNpAk6JyeBH2NUJM-KpCUZknhKkakkLvisOR6lfoKDbFErvaB8ddBXvlt1g2pB7vB_Dh4qb_OTPmNdztUBBPQqQoM9cixsacA8boLz_ihHVblECnG5hHUnFvYgBmp7cToMaI3o=" /></a> <br />Scene with Anne Boleyn, Wolf Hall<div>
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A copy of my National Trust Magazine arrived yesterday and there is an article which details the locations used in the series Wolf Hall. I really loved the first episode, but my NT magazine did not have room for all the properties that will be featured apart from <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/montacute-house/">Montacute House</a>. So here, without further ado, are a few images to whet your appetite. If you love historic houses like I do, I strongly recommend that you join the <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/">National Trust</a> - free entry to most of these stunning locations. Click on the pictures to get to the National Trust sites for more stunning pictures.<br /> Laycock Abbey was also used for the filming of the Harry Potter films, and was originally an Abbey and a Nunnery. It is now also home to The Fox Talbot Museum of Photography.</div>
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<br /> Great Chalfield Manor is a Medieval Manor House with a beautiful garden with lily pond and summerhouse.<br /> Chastleton House is an impressive Jacobean Manor House built in 1607.<br /> Horton Court in Gloucestershire was originally built in Norman times, but is now a small manor house.<br /> More details about each house can also be found <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/">here</a>.</div>
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<br /> Montacute House, picture from Wikipedia<br /> <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/montacute-house/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgYsbyAzPBwzvxa6IVMOQ-bt9NHzunYBb1vGfoFsNNVRcVJREgPEgA1TDxIITM5rRlu_DBYmBHbedhj9kWR0rzylLXvyxVqlB-Eg5haKOhMLgnb0SqmN1NeC2p9dzsqegSKbghS8jllLwGb-1b8coB0wdx2EcieSd6rSKJDJrWDcQDRP9KaDzgM_j3QTOc0wfY=" /></a> <br /><br />Laycock Abbey<br /> <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/things-to-see-and-do/lacock-abbey/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEj78jyUjj9nGrOQ1M41O799qV6cldFgHdx5BWCqDrBRgLvX50PYh3y6r1seZFPSaRizjqaNyo8sJX6CKC9rdj2yfVSoGI8izdsGbk9MPeQTHKkEz3rfGJjVH5COy8djDLDeCKw3ekFrdtmUkqy3rehk6JqcNLfi43WvQSa00yMZhCc4lif5iz8_EH1uBYtyLh239RJg=" /></a> <br />Chalfield Manor<br /> <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/great-chalfield-manor/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh4MBK4CTO_sqCl_t3HfFXNUlX6hcQWUS1h5vlRS1QRbchIKgErdvtcnA3RJ8n4TWcVymVYsa5YzI1gs1-uzrFS-hbX6AiSVGGEK11BXNFRVtFC5TuVPP53tgdDd4bWBe6tJVEjaAzhV6-AowOy4aHug5t9-_CrozRh-ni6aYn5eheVwQsg6e3gX60gPgdisaoM-TJbhrXLwD-cziBZyqO9GQ=" /></a> <br /><br />Chastleton House<br /> <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chastleton-house/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhbiuUDcbI-YFfaAY6eOYbwhJ1BE2WU3Maorm1ZWfrPCE3pkQKj11sWQGegaNdqzl0SwtJM4hxRwkVc3qbKZsUH2SiOiNk3ObCkRSuthRRL7Z-BzsFu56C-rz-7sLUAImTZxhVa7hAi0iadRbZvBEIUwJAp8gtx7GxAb8llIpV0WC-TQbJgQtjrPzJYDFo5NeDAak2ZUE1-OsMXqfc-I592LKI=" /></a> <br /><br />Horton Court<br /> <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/horton-court/"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhNa_ommWWcUgquNipciCq1EjAhxBbdsstvI5fQOrCwr3Uh6aJfGS5D1RWTMxmJIqASWJsE8Q-8O5iWFaF_QCheDS2g2WAj20Oq3w3MefMflP8QU3pBsNkIYZPhPqhr09xd85x_mn4gulsqbwxMs_t3D-IfxWEczWINKiX90h0qQRC4glMr6O6IVeGXWwVRacczOeOv2FPF6fTU9rs4mA=" /></a> <br /><br />Horton Court <br /> I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the series and seeing these stunning locations. I'm also eagerly awaiting Mantel's next book, though according to the BBC she has told us all to 'be patient'. The pressure on her must be enormous, and they are very big books. Wonder if she'll be the first Triple Booker Winner?!</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Amber-Keeper-Freda-Lightfoot-ebook/dp/B00KGLV9SK" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Amber-Keeper-Freda-Lightfoot-ebook/dp/B00KGLV9SK"><img alt="amber keeper" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-274" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/amber-keeper-200x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/amber-keeper-200x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default;" width="200" /></a></div>
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I was lucky enough to attend the launch of Freda Lightfoot's new book, <em>The Amber Keeper</em>, and dived straight in to this gorgeously evocative tale of love and treachery in the Russian Revolution. Impeccably researched, the book tells of how, in the 1960's, single mother Abbie tries to uncover the reason behind her mother's suicide. The trail leads her back through her grandmother's history as a governess in 1911. Being local to the Lake District I particularly enjoyed all the local references and descriptions of the English Lakes in the sixties, and thought they made a wonderful contrast to the snowy landscape of turn of the century Russia. The characters are well-developed, and the Countess Belinsky and her family provide Abbie's grandmother with much more than she bargained for in terms of danger and deception. Freda Lightfoot's well-written sagas are always a delight to read, and this is no exception, with themes of revenge and jealousy, hidden family secrets and enduring love.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Fireside-Stories-heart-warming-bestselling-ebook/dp/B00N4UYW5C/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Fireside-Stories-heart-warming-bestselling-ebook/dp/B00N4UYW5C/"><img alt="christmas-fireside-short-stories-978144727683801" class="size-medium wp-image-275 aligncenter" data-mce-src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/christmas-fireside-short-stories-978144727683801-198x300.jpg" height="300" src="http://riddleofwriting.deborahswift.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/christmas-fireside-short-stories-978144727683801-198x300.jpg" style="border: 0px; cursor: default; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="198" /></a></div>
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The second book I've been lucky enough to review this week is another treat for saga lovers: Christmas Fireside Stories. Our central heating boiler broke down last week, so we have been surviving by layering extra jumpers, lighting the log fire in the living room, and by carting electric fires from place to place in the bedrooms. So I was able to sit by my log-burner and read this selection of great stories and extracts - a perfect place to enjoy them. The six stories include a poignant re-telling of the 1914 truce during the first World War, expertly re-told by Margaret Dickinson. Although most people know the facts of this event, it was lovely to have it brought skilfully to life in this timely version. My favourite story was 'Christmas at Thalstead Halt' by Annie Murray, in which a shy railway worker finds that a broken down train brings him an unexpected Christmas gift. All the stories were well worth reading and enjoyable, fans of Diane Allen, Rita Bradshaw, Pam Weaver and Mary Wood will find they are well catered for in this anthology. If you like to look back to your childhood Christmases, to paper chains and coal fires, wartime rationing or clogs in the snow, this nostalgic collection hits the spot. The book contains anecdotes from the authors, recipes, and introductory extracts from their novels. AAh, all I need now is another mince pie!</div>
Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-57763748896426413732014-08-26T11:36:00.001-07:002014-08-26T11:36:53.383-07:00The Attraction of the Highwayman Image - with Henriette Gyland<div align="center" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highwaymans-Daughter-Choc-Lit-ebook/dp/B00JFBNQBU/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highwaymans-Daughter-Choc-Lit-ebook/dp/B00JFBNQBU/"><b><img alt="" 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" 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" 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Both Henriette Gyland and I have new books out about a female highwayman. Fascinated by finding this out, I invited Henri to come and enlighten us about her novel. Henri's novel is called <strong>The Highwayman's Daughter</strong>. I asked her:</div>
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<b>Did you base The Highwayman's Daughter on a particular highwayman?</b></div>
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This is a hard question to answer. Initially I would say “no” but the idea of the highwayman is firmly lodged in our collective consciousness that I probably <i>did</i> base it on a particular highwayman – or a conglomeration of several – without even realising it! In addition to that I wanted to work from the premise of an “ordinary decent criminal”, the otherwise upright character forced into a life of crime due to personal circumstances.</div>
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As a writer of romantic fiction it was important for me to maintain the myth and the romance of the highwayman. Of course, the reality was quite different – most highwaymen were ruthless thugs, and many were rapists and murderers too. Some even did it for kicks rather than necessity, like Lady Katherine Ferrers whose gutsiness I can’t help admiring despite her dubious reasons for taking to highway robbery (she was bored, apparently).</div>
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<strong>Yes, I agree. The myth and romance is what attracts readers to the idea. The reality may have been somewhat different! I had to think hard about how ruthless I wanted my female highwayman to be before I started writing, and I'm interested to know what you think makes a good female highway robber.</strong></div>
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She has to be daring, but she can also be frightened. In the 18<sup>th</sup> century, who wouldn’t be scared of sustaining a wound from a victim determined to protect his (or her) property? Even if the wound itself wasn’t fatal, it could so easily turn septic, and our highway robber would die an agonising death. Then there was the risk of disclosure and being caught which would lead straight to the gallows, with only the rarest chance of a reprieve.</div>
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Like any other thief, our female highway robber would also have to be clever enough to dispose of stolen goods without drawing attention to herself and to blend in with everyday life.</div>
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From a purely writerly perspective, in order for her to be an effective female heroine, she has to have to have a Good Reason for committing her crimes. Even though she breaks the law and technically threatens innocent people into submission, she still needs a strong moral code.</div>
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<b>Yes, I think you're right - the motivation is everything. But with such a compelling female protagonist, how can the hero compete?!</b></div>
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Good question! To avoid the gutsy heroine taking over the story, in my opinion the only way the hero can compete is by having his own strengths. By that I don’t mean physical superiority, although he would likely have that, or an I-must-conquer-this-female attitude, but an inner strength which leaves him in no doubt about who he is and his place in society. However, if he belongs to the upper echelons, he should never pull rank over those less fortunate than himself, including the heroine.</div>
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He must be noble, honourable, and even when he makes mistakes, he must possess the courage to admit to these mistakes and do whatever it takes to right those wrongs. Can he break the law too? Sure, but like the heroine he must have a strong moral code.</div>
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<strong>I have just downloaded The Highwayman's Daughter and I'm looking forward to meeting your characters. I'm hoping that our two heroines don't meet on the road - or there could be a bit of a battle! Fortunately novelists are a bit more polite, and it's been a pleasure to have you here, Henriette.</strong></div>
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You can find <strong>Henriette Gyland</strong> on her <a data-mce-href="http://henriettegyland.wordpress.com/" href="http://henriettegyland.wordpress.com/">Website</a></div>
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On Twitter: @henrigyland or on <a data-mce-href="https://www.facebook.com/henriette.gyland" href="https://www.facebook.com/henriette.gyland">Facebook</a></div>
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You can never have enough books about Highwaywomen!</div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-47106127367942501672014-08-20T02:16:00.000-07:002014-08-23T04:14:39.841-07:00The Advantages of a Book Blog Tour<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
I'm about to embark on another Virtual Tour with my new YA book, Shadow on the Highway </div>
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(FREE on Kindle this week only!<a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B00M7N24UM" href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B00M7N24UM"> US</a> <a data-mce-href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B00M7N24UM/" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Highway-Deborah-Swift-ebook/dp/B00M7N24UM/">UK </a>)</div>
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This will be the third blog tour I have done with my historical fiction books, and I'm really grateful to all the bloggers who are participating, and to Amy Bruno of HVFT who organises the schedule and generally keeps me on track. My first blog tour I organised myself, but it was enormously time-consuming, and now I hire someone to do the prep, which leaves me more time to concentrate on writing guest posts and promoting the tour.</div>
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I thought I would highlight the advantages of doing a blog tour, given that there are now so many blogs that readers are often overwhelmed by the sheer number, and end up not reading any at all.</div>
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The main point I want to let authors know, is that if you are looking for the blog tour to hard-sell your books, then you will probably be disappointed. </div>
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Blog Tours build sales slowly as they are about relationships built over time with your readers, and about what is now called in the trade your 'author platform'. (Most people I know still think of a platform as a place to catch a train!) Virtual Tours are a chance not only to put your book out there online (where every body is, these days it seems), but to listen to the feedback from readers. Book Review bloggers read to a punishing schedule, often many books every month, and as such they are expert readers. They will soon spot any flaws in your book, and when several of them all say the same thing it is a chance for you, the writer, to address the problem in your writing.</div>
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I am excited to hear whether bloggers will notice a difference between my adult and teen titles, and what they will highlight as a great part of their reading experience.</div>
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For me as an an author the main advantages of a Book Blog Tour have been:</div>
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• To get reviews and feedback from many different people, which tells me what the people who are attracted to my genre of fiction like and expect, and often quite clearly what they don't like!<br />
• To gain exposure on different blogs to their loyal followers, who are all people who read and are interested in books enough to read a Book Blog<br />
• That often, reviewers post up their reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and other online sites, leading to a higher profile for the author and more attention to older titles<br />
• A chance to chat to readers through comments on my guest posts and bring more life and vibrancy to the book blog hosting me</div>
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Whilst on the book tour it is tempting to tweet every review, highlight them all on facebook, and generally drive your regular readers crazy. Of course your hosts on the tour will expect you to promote their blog whilst you guest with them, but this can be a turn-off for your regular followers. The strategy that works best for me is to highlight each blog once, and then return to promote it after the blog tour has finished, so that way you can keep in touch with bloggers after the tour has ended. I do this, even if the blogger has left me an unfavourable review - after all, they committed their time to reading your book above other choices they may have had.</div>
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A Book Blog Tour is a wonderful way to increase your networking profile on Google and in search engines, and as a platform builder it is second to none. People are still reading my posts from my first blog tour which was three years ago, and I am returning to some book bloggers for the third time, proving that they are looking forward to sharing my latest book with their readers.</div>
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You will find the schedule for my tour if you click on the banner - Please join me to chat about my new release!<br />
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<a data-mce-href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/category/shadow-on-the-highway/" href="http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/category/shadow-on-the-highway/"><img alt=" photo 4080093a-0596-4942-9332-e4c00e9fb95c.png" data-mce-src="http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq159/abruno77/4080093a-0596-4942-9332-e4c00e9fb95c.png" src="http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq159/abruno77/4080093a-0596-4942-9332-e4c00e9fb95c.png" height="155" style="border: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8313651519637984862.post-77737767267143220732014-08-06T01:48:00.000-07:002014-08-06T01:48:18.637-07:00 The State of English Roads in the 17th Century <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As S</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hadow on the Highway</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is about highway robbery, it features a lot of travel by horseback, so I thought I'd share some snippets of my research. Anyone with information to add to my growing collection of data about Stuart roads, I'd be glad to hear from you. Thanks to <a href="http://hoydensandfirebrands.blogspot.co.uk/">Hoydens and Firebrands</a>, where this post was first published.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even though it has been a dry summer, the roads near my house are full of pot-holes thanks to a wet winter and not much money spent on road maintenance. But how were roads and highways maintained in the Stuart Era? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most goods were transported from the ports to the interior of the country by pack horses and so tracks were the routes most commonly followed. There were no signposts in the 17th Century, so you had to either know the route already or employ a guide. Most roads passed through areas that were still deeply forested, and would in no way resemble the sort of roads we have now. In Henry VIII's reign the use of the heavy waggon and springless cart became more common, and as prosperity increased there was more need for wider roads. A large waggon was also more economical for transporting items in bulk. The dust surface of these new broad roads became mud in winter, and so in 1555 the Statute of Philip and Mary was passed which provided a strategy for maintaining the roads.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17th Century routes through the towns and forests<br />of England, hunting horns denote forests</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This act, which lasted right through Stuart times made the parish instead of the Lord of the Manor responsible for the upkeep of the highway. What this meant in effect was that if a road passed through your parish, it was your job to keep it in good condition. In order for this to work, each parish had to appoint a Surveyor of Highways. His duty was to inspect the road, and should it need work, he could call on each of the parishioners to do six days of road mending. Materials could be legally taken by the Surveyor from anyone's land for this task, and stones, rubble or earth removed without the landowner being recompensed for damage to the property. Naturally the Surveyor of Highways was not a popular person, as very few wanted to spend six days labouring and his inspections usually meant trouble as he took materials for repair from local landowners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This system did not work particularly well and meant roads were often impassable in bad weather. Particularly bad were the routes in and out of the capital. But in 1656, tired of the responsibility of maintaining The Great North Road, the people of Radwell in Hertfordshire petitioned the Quarter Sessions for help, because this was the major route in and out of London. Probably as a result of this, Parliament passed a bill that gave the local justices powers to erect toll-gates on a section of the Great North Road for a trial period of eleven years, and allowed that the revenues collected should be used for the maintenance of the road. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This being a success, to assist in the repair of roads, after 1663 groups of wealthy landowners were given permission by Parliament to build or improve a stretch of road and then charge tolls to get their money back, thereby allowing them to make a profit. These were called Turnpike Trusts. At first these toll roads were short and acted as short cuts, often bypassing a village and thus reducing its trade. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At some places along main roads, houses and gates were set up and a tollgate keeper lived alongside the route. These turnpikes continued to multiply slowly until by 1872, when the system was finally abolished, there were approximately 8000 turnpikes in operation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A turnpike gate was a large gate which revolved on a spike and after the individual had paid his penny to use the turnpike the gate would revolve allowing access to the newly created turnpike road. Typical charges in the 17th Century were one penny for a horse and sixpence for a coach. Exempt from the charges were mail coaches, foot passengers and people in a funeral cortege. Because it was possible for brave horsemen to leap over the gates without paying, the gate was sometimes replaced by what soon became known as a 'turnpike': a wooden bar with spikes on top. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course I will have to include this sort of a leap over a Turnpike in my next book!</span></div>
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Deborah Swifthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10594174632573628818noreply@blogger.com1