It’s sort of strange; whenever I reach a publication day, I’m afflicted by a bout of melancholia, sort of similar to that a mother feels when she watches her children leave home. Proud because the kids have grown into young, responsible adults, sad because suddenly baby sets out on its own – carving its own […]
A couple of years ago, I attended a Writer’s conference in York. One of the ladies who stuck out was Christina Courtenay (fantastic hair; still jealous of it) who at the time had just recently published her book Trade Winds. It was sort of odd to realise that Christina spoke Swedish, had a thing about
I had a tough childhood. My mother was a book fanatic, and further to this she was also a language teacher, with a special fondness for the development of literature throughout the ages. Incorrect grammar was not allowed, and let me tell you I had Sophocles and Aeschylus down pat long before I’d figured out
When I was a child, I dreamt of becoming either a medieval knight or a veterinary. One dream fell flat on its face due to having been born in the wrong time and of the wrong gender, the other burst apart when I realised I faint at the sight of blood. Not a good thing
There is something strange in our relationship with love stories. While most of us hope for that happy ending, the stories we remember are the ones that end in tears and loss, such as that of Juliet and her Romeo. Even weirder, we will sit in our sofas and snivel as we watch – yet
I recently read a book where relatively early on there’s a glaring anachronism – in this case the main characters are using Playstation, but this is like two decades before Playstation existed. I should probably get over this irrelevant slip and concentrate on the unfolding story, but unfortunately such mistakes dilute the credibility of the
I live in a country that embraces moderation in all things. One should not be too loud, too self-confident, too successful, too beautiful – well, you get the picture, I suppose. Here in Sweden we believe in conformity, and just so you know, this does NOT make us socialists. In actual fact, we combine this
So who do you think you are? Celebrating my B.R.A.G. Medallion. Read More »
Yes, yes; we all have different preferences. The title above may conjure up champagne for some, whisky for others and maybe just a glass of cold water for the purist. To me, it’s all about tea. I start my day with tea. I end it with tea. This is actually not a good idea, as
I am very proud to be hosting Judith Arnopp on my blog today. A prolific writer, Judith has a fondness for depicting strong women throughout the ages. For more information about Judith and her books, please visit her website. Anyway, today’s post is about that most fascinating of English kings, Henry VIII. Somehow, after reading
I am very proud to be hosting Lori Crane on my blog today. For those of you who have as yet not made acquaintance with Lori’s books, I must say you are in for a major treat. This lady knows how to write – and even more, she writes about her own ancestors in various
Welcoming Elly Hays – five generations down the line Read More »