Category: Writers
Immortalised in stone: the writers of Poets’ Corner
From Shakespeare to Dickens, the Brontë sisters to CS Lewis, this famous memorial honours many of the great writers who have shaped British literature…
Everyday phrases we owe to Shakespeare
Did you know that many common English phrases originated in the Bard’s writings?
Thank Dickens for Christmas
Did you know that many of our Christmas traditions, and indeed the very spirit of the holiday, have their roots in a little novella published in 1843?
The lonely novelist
Lockdown, quarantine, distancing – these are all words, and experiences, that equate to some level of isolation. None of us have found this time easy, for to be separate from each other is to deny the basic human need for connection and company. Perhaps the novelist is better suited to being alone and apart than others. Perhaps not…
Charles Perrault, father of the fairy tale
‘The world may never have had the fairy tale were it not for Perrault and a group of other intellectuals challenging the status quo in literature in the 17th century…’
Duende: the artistic flamenco spirit
Have you heard of the term duende? The Oxford English Dictionary defines duende as ‘a quality of passion and inspiration’. The word is used to describe a state of heightened emotion, authenticity and expression, and it is commonly associated with flamenco. The soul in the singer’s cry, the feeling etched into the dancer’s face, the power in the guitarist’s playing – that is duende.
Writing the book you want to read: Inspiration from the late Toni Morrison
‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’
Finding inspiration in literary tourism
On an ordinary street in Dumfries, Scotland, beside the River Nith, lies an extraordinary house. Moat Brae, which was built in 1823, is a quite
Taking inspiration from Mr Rochester – the man with a past
I read French literature at university, and am deeply inspired by the French romantic authors of the 19th century, like Stendhal, Musset, Theophile Gautier, Leconte
Victor Hugo’s Hauteville House (Writers’ Spaces series #3)
So far in my Writers’ Spaces series I’ve visited a tower writing room where privacy was key, and two homes where novelists penned their works at
The Brontës’ parsonage and Austen’s cottage (Writers’ Spaces series #2)
Last week, I introduced a series on my blog exploring where noted writers through history wrote their works. My first article focused on Sissinghurst Castle,
Sissinghurst Castle and Vita Sackville-West (Writers’ Spaces series #1)
Readers of my fiction will know that I paint settings vividly. A strong sense of place brings colour and context and atmosphere to the story.
‘All happiness depends on courage and work’: inspiration from Honoré de Balzac
Those who follow me on Twitter will know that I like to collect quotations – little nuggets of wisdom and inspiration from great minds. A
‘Hope costs nothing’: The life and legacy of French novelist Colette
I was thrilled to read of a new movie being released in September based upon the life of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. Here is the trailer for
Do we need time and space to write – or should we write anyway?
Picture the scene. You have decided to write a novel. You take yourself off to a little cottage overlooking the sea. It’s quiet; there are
Romeo and Juliet: an inspiration for my novel Legacy
What author, when writing romance, is not in some way inspired by Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet? It is one of the most romantic works
An infinity of passion: Madame Bovary
This month marks 160 years since the publication in book format of a masterpiece of literature: Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. In my early twenties, I read
When has an author written enough?
Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights; Anna Sewell – Black Beauty; Margaret Mitchell – Gone with the Wind; Boris Pasternak – Doctor Zhivago; JD Salinger –
How do I love thee? Literary inspirations for Valentine’s Day
There are so many different ways to express that you love someone; often, though, it can be hard to find the words to encapsulate all
Spain’s romantic poet: Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
My romantic trilogy – comprising Indiscretion, Masquerade and the forthcoming Legacy – is set in Andalucía, Spain. As part of my research for the series,
The Spanish Shakespeare: Lope de Vega
Researching my series Andaludican Nights gave me an excuse to visit Seville, one of my favourite cities in the world. The architecture there is so
Should we be interested in authors, or only their books?
The novelist Jean Rhys declared: ‘All of a writer that matters is in the book or books. It is idiotic to be curious about the
Books to Movies Giveaway Hop: Gone with the Wind
Welcome to my blog, and thank you for visiting! When it came to deciding which book/movie to focus on for this hop, the choice was
Banned Books Week Blog Hop: Madame Bovary
Did you know that in apartheid South Africa Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was banned? That in the Soviet Union Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was forbidden? That in Hunan, China,
Favourite writer: Miguel de Cervantes– an addendum
Recently, I blogged about one of my favourite Spanish writers, Miguel de Cervantes, who penned the wonderful novel Don Quixote. In my post, I noted
Favourite writer: Miguel de Cervantes
Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be. –Miguel de
Losing your first draft: Catastrophe or blessing?
Every writer, surely, has some experience of losing a price of writing. The computer crashes or the coffee spills on the notebook, and the words
The Great British post box, as beloved by Charles Dickens
I have finally finished writing my Christmas cards; each year it seems to take a little longer. I very much enjoy the whole process: selecting