Powerful, stylish, fairytale: A woman in heels
Recently, I have been packing up my British home to move to my renovated mas in the south of France, where I summer each year.
Category: Photos
Borrowing from the language of passion: English words of Spanish origin
My latest fiction series is set in Andalucía, Spain. It is a region I know well, having travelled there several times. Whenever I visit, I
From shelfies to bookstagramming: for the love of books
If you love reading and you want to share your passion with the world, how do you do so? How do you identify yourself as
Using romance novels to teach conversational skills
‘Learning language from the language of love’: That was the headline that caught my eye in the news recently. Have you heard about Google’s artificial
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,
Mature women readers: the backbone of digital romance publishing
Digital publishing is still in its infancy. Developments are quick, and frequently surprising, because ebooks are breaking new ground. With anything new comes a desire
Should romances with unhappy endings come with a warning?
On every romance bestseller list in the UK right now (and, indeed, in plenty of countries worldwide) you find After You, Jojo Moyes’ sequel to
Mañana mañana: An end to the Spanish siesta?
Siesta: as I write in my novel Indiscretion, it is ‘that sacred hour of the afternoon when Spaniards retire to the coolness of their rooms,
‘You shall go to the ball’: The romance of dressing up
Recently, I’ve been following the blog of Terry Dresbach, the costume designer on the show Outlander. Her research into eighteenth-century fashion is fascinating, and like
America’s first romance-specific bookstore
My dream has always been to write romance novels, and I am very fortunate that I live that dream every day. But if, for some
Racing through a book, or enjoying the journey?
When American writer James Patterson makes an announcement, it is usually big news; because he’s a bestselling author, of course, but also because he’s a
A tour of Spain at your dining table
‘Gastronomy has been the joy of all peoples through the ages. It produces beauty and wit and goes hand in hand with goodness of heart and a
Hercules: An Andalusian hero
The Greeks told of a hero, brave, strong and adventurous, called Heracles – the son of Zeus. The Romans were sufficiently impressed to adopt him
The fashion of flamenco
Flamenco features prominently in my new series, Andalusian Nights, because it is an integral aspect of the Andalusian culture and because it is so ardently
The dream of a writer: to coin a new word?
Etymology, the study of the origin of words and their changing meanings, fascinates me. Yes, I will confess to being a reader of dictionaries, and
The author’s all-consuming need to write
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to write. Writing makes me feel at one peaceful and alive; it feeds a raw
My heroine Luz: a fusion of Lord Byron’s poetry
Regular readers of my blog will know that I love poetry, and that one of my favourite eras for poetry is Romanticism. Of that time,
From narrowing readership to review battles to reader analytics: a contentious news round-up
Like many bibliophiles and writers, I follow various news outlets with an eye on stories relating to the arts, publishing and the business of being
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
What country would you like to ‘visit’ in a new Hannah Fielding book?
Readers of my books quickly realise two things about me: * I am passionate about travel.Since I first spread my wings as a young woman,
Spring at Tinakilly Country House, Wicklow
Last weekend I spent a wonderful afternoon at Tinakilly Country House, a historic Italianate mansion in Wicklow, Ireland. Wicklow is known as the Garden of Ireland,
Art as inspiration for writers
I am always delighted to discover a new edition of Mslexia magazine on my doormat (although this month’s cover artwork on the theme of monsters
The weeping of the guitar
Meet Leandro, hero of my latest novel Masquerade: The young gypsy took his place in the middle of the circle, which the previous performers had
Collecting – and treasuring – print books
Recently, a headline in the Observer caught my eye: ‘The Rarefied World of Rare Book Collecting Is Not a Dying Art’. My first thought was,
Death in the Afternoon
How could I possibly write a three-book series set in Andalucía without including that most controversial and iconic aspects of Spanish culture: the bullfight? I
Visiting London? Don’t miss ‘Shakespeare in Ten Acts’
‘Speak low if you speak love.’ ‘Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, Did my heart fly at your service.’
Flamenco legend La Niña de los Peines
The young gypsy took his place in the middle of the circle, which the previous performers had left vacant. His long, copper-tanned fingers began thrumming
Favourite artist: Franciso Goya
The following description is from my Spanish-set novel Indiscretion: At La Linea, just outside Gibraltar, where she had arrived by passenger ship, she had found
Finding affinity in the origins of Outlander
I happily confess that I am a big fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books. Her plots are intricate and clever, her historical context is fascinating,
The pueblos blancos of Andalucia
In my latest book, Masquerade, I describe Luz’s home as follows: The sun was benevolent today so she seated herself comfortably on the veranda. A