Hannah, Author at Hannah Fielding

From hippogriff to centaur: The horse-hybrids of Greek mythology

In my latest novel Aphrodite’s Tears, set on a Greek island, I draw extensively on the mythology of the Ancient Greeks. Here is my heroine’s

‘My soul must follow thee!’ The enduring Greek myth of Hero and Leander

The Ancient Greeks were a passionate people, as reflected in their colourful, dramatic myths. Love is a common theme in those stories – but so

Eight years of blogging! A look at my highlights…

Having written novels since my early twenties, I have long considered myself a novelist – a long-form writer. But earlier this week, I was hunting

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

Fading away: the tragic tale of Echo from Greek mythology

I am fascinated by etymology: the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. The Little

Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm (Writers’ Spaces series #4)

For many writers, the most important part of the ‘room with a view’ for their writing is the view. For Victor Hugo, whose writing space

Tell me a story: Why we will always read books

In 2014, Svend Brinkmann, professor of psychology at Aalborg University, Denmark, published a book entitled Stand Firm: Resisting the Self-Improvement Craze. In the book, Brinkmann applies

‘How Do I Love Thee?’ Declarations of love in my novels

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! If there was ever a day to make a declaration of love, this is it. We do not need flowers, or

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,

Braving ‘the anxiety of publication’ to share a new novel

Sir Winston Churchill, politician and prolific writer, said this of the writing process: Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a

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.

Sun, sea and sky: a scenic tour of Aphrodite’s Tears

Sun, sea and sky: in Ancient Greek mythology, each had its own god. Poseidon was the god of the sea, Apollo was the sun god,

‘Diamonds are forever’: symbolism and the engagement ring

On the British high street, a store called Poundland specialises in selling all manner of items for just £1. Usually, those items are mundane –

Losing – and finding – yourself in a labyrinth

The first hedge maze I ever navigated was at Hampton Court Palace. It was planted for William III of Orange as a means of entertainment for

Love at first sight: Ancient Greek myth, or reality?

My latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, begins with the chance meeting of two strangers, Oriel and Damian, on a beach one evening. I write: The dark

‘Let reality be reality’: on preserving heritage, but embracing necessary change

In my latest novel, Aphrodite’s Tears, my heroine takes a job working on a small Greek island off whose coast a fascinating old shipwreck has

‘Each sunrise sees a new year born’

Happy New Year! I love waking up to a new year, full of promise and potential. But as the following poem conveys, we can have

Welcome, Saint Basil: New Year traditions in Greece

What does the New Year holiday mean to you? Counting down to midnight, perhaps, and raising a toast to a prosperous new year; watching the

‘Peace on earth, good will to men’

A very happy Christmas to you all. Here, infused with the spirit of Christmas, is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas

10 Christmas traditions from around the world

It’s the most magical time of the year – for children, of course, but for adults too who are infused with the spirit of Christmas.

‘Tread softly because you tread on my dreams’

‘You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one’ So wrote John Lennon and Yoko Ono for the song ‘Imagine’. Aren’t we

Gifting books at Christmas – the Icelandic way

What better gift to give and receive at Christmas than one that brings comfort, solace, inspiration, enjoyment and learning? Books are readily available, they are

Made in our image: The enduring humanity of the Greek gods

Are you familiar with the Image of God concept? It’s inherent in the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Sufism that human beings were created in the

Who reads romance novels? Women… AND men

It’s no secret that there is a stigma attached to romance novels. They’re unrealistic, they’re cheesy, they’re silly, they’re cringe-worthy, they’re formulaic, they’re not ‘proper’