Autumn has come, and the lawns surrounding my house in Ireland are carpeted with leaves in glorious colours. The view from my writing desk over the countryside is beautiful, and different, which brings a new energy to my writing. Still, a part of me misses the Mediterranean, azure beneath a cloudless
The leaves on the trees in my garden are a riot of colour: crimson and ochre and russet and gloriously ripe yellow. The lawns are scattered with fallen leaves that will soon be a rustling carpet, and with horse chestnuts, split open to reveal smooth, shiny conkers. The air has a crisp
One of my hobbies is reading dictionaries; not cover to cover, because that would take an age, but dipping in and out. I love to learn about languages – both French and English, because I am bilingual. I especially love etymology, which is the study of the origin of words
Seville, capital of Andalusia, setting of my romantic trilogy: Indiscretion, Masquerade and Legacy. On the map for its rich historical and cultural sites, like the Alcázar palace complex and the Cathedral, and for one artistic field in particular: religious sculpture. I first encountered the Sevillian school of sculpture in the Museum
Where do you read books? On the train, perhaps, and in a doctor’s waiting room; in a few spare minutes before going out, or while the pasta is simmering on the stove. Keen readers grab moments to read wherever and whenever they can. But the best reading – the inspiring,
‘Female knight’ may well strike you as a contradiction in terms: how could a knight of medieval times be a woman? Surely this was a male domain? When you imagine a woman in armour, no doubt Joan of Arc springs to mind. She famously disguised herself as a soldier, and
Two marble hands reaching for each other, immortalised for all time; these are the 12th-century lovers Diego and Isabel, whose tomb to this day attracts romantics from all over the world. Here is the legend of Los amantes de Teruel: In the city of Teruel in northern Spain (the region of
Did you know that the plaza – a large, open urban public space, especially a square – originated in Spain? The Spanish built them to be the hub of towns and cities. There, in the buildings, resided the religious authorities (usually in a cathedral), the administrative staff and the law
‘Layla, you’ve got me on my knees. Layla, I’m begging, darling, please. Layla, darling, won’t you ease my worried mind.’ So sang Eric Clapton. ‘Layla’ is widely heralded as one of the greatest rock love songs of all time, but do you know the story behind the music? The inspiration
Readers of my novels will know that I am a very visual writer, especially when it comes to describing colours. Not for me grey, dreary scenery – I love bold, vibrant colours that catch the eye and touch the soul. Do you remember the key line in Alice Walker’s novel The
Have you visited the Prado art museum in Madrid? It is one of my favourite places on the planet. Not only is the building itself beautiful, but it houses some of the most important and awe-inspiring artworks in the world. The museum was commissioned in the late 18th century by
While reading an article in the Irish Independent on romance novels, a quotation from author Kate Kerrigan caught my eye: ‘The people who are reading romance are not like the people who are reading the Booker shortlist. They are voracious readers and they are getting through a volume of books.’
Whenever I visit Spain, top of my ‘to do’ list is going to a festival. The Spanish love festivals: it’s a wonderful reason to come together and celebrate everything from a religious event to the change of the season to the harvest. Dancing, music, revelry – these are always on
How to Do Good: Essays on Building a Better World, published by my publisher, London Wall, is a collection of essays by thought leaders, celebrities, statesmen and women, Nobel prize winners, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and others who are driving and inspiring positive change. This thought piece focuses on an essay
Secrets, deceit, betrayal – and revelation, truth and loyalty: these are the themes that underpin my Andalucían Nights trilogy. In the final book in the series, Legacy, the heroine Luna has secrets that she is keeping from Ruy, the hero, and top of the list is the fact that she
As part of my FANtastic Fiesta, running until 14 August, I’m giving away three lovely wooden Spanish hand fans, as featured on the covers of my Andalucían Nights trilogy: No doubt you know that the hand fan is a classic object that blends both fashion and function. But how much
My latest novel, Legacy, is set in Cadiz, a city in Andalucía that is almost entirely surrounded by sea. This is the view from my heroine Luna’s home at dusk: The port of Puerto de Santa María glowed in the distance, accompanied by the steadfast wink of the lighthouse. Fishing
This month, I’m having a FAN-tastic Fiesta, to celebrate the launch of my Andalucían Nights trilogy in a special, all-in-one edition. The award-winning epic Andalucían Nights Trilogy sweeps the reader from the wild landscapes of Spain in the 1950s, through a history of dangerous liaisons and revenge dramas, to a
Back in the nineteenth century, readers – men and women alike – began to discover and enjoy fiction by new novelists Currer Bell, Ellis Bell, Acton Bell and George Eliot. Male writers, you may well have assumed, but in fact these were the pen names of the Brontë sisters and
Earlier this week, I was hunting in my files for a photograph when it struck me just how many images I was browsing through. Since I began blogging here back in September 2011, I have built quite the picture library! When I write on this blog about the settings for
In my latest novel, Legacy, the love story begins when the hero and heroine cross paths in Barcelona. I very much enjoyed setting the scene in this colourful, lively city, especially because it is chock-full of works by one of my favourite architects, Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí was a Spanish architect
There is so much that drew me to the Spanish region of Andalucía when it came time to choose a setting for my romantic trilogy. But given that core themes in the trilogy are roots and legacies, the rich history of the Andalucía was a big attraction. Andalucía is steeped
She’s the one: Five reasons I write in the third person ‘I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, great and
Here’s a little quiz question for you: Which bird features in my novel Burning Embers, set in Kenya, and my novel Indiscretion, set in Spain? No doubt the photograph has given away the answer! Yes, it is the flamingo. In Burning Embers, the heroine Coral takes a balloon ride over
‘Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.’ So wrote satirist P. J. O’Rourke. Of course, he was joking. We should read whatever we want to read! But I think this quotation touches on a very real discomfort in readers over being judged for reading choices.
Andalucían culture features prominently in my recent novels, Indiscretion, Masquerade and Legacy, especially in relation to music and dance, which is characterised by a single emotion: passion. As Salvador tells Alexandra in Indiscretion: ‘Spanish flamenco is the embodiment of passion. Some people say that music is at its best when
I love books. I love to browse books, choose books, purchase books, collect books – and, of course, read books! If, like me, you are a bibliophile, you will know well the happiness a book can bring: finding a hidden treasure in a second-hand bookstore, eagerly buying your favourite author’s
How to Do Good: Essays on Building a Better World, published by my publisher, London Wall, is a collection of essays by thought leaders, celebrities, statesmen and women, Nobel prize winners, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and others who are driving and inspiring positive change. Each month, I’m focusing on one
Each of the Spanish regions has its own unique culture and history; but for me, the most beautiful and fascinating of them all is Andalucía. This southernmost region has a distinctive look and feel influenced by a history of Moorish occupation. It is a place characterised by legacy, and thus
The city of Cádiz features in each of the novels in my Andalucían Nights trilogy. It’s such a vibrant, luminous city, it was an easy decision to set scenes there; this a thriving and beautiful place with a rich history and culture. Here’s a glimpse of the city from the perspective
In my novel Concerto, the heroine, Catriona, is a music therapist who is hired to work with a client who is depressed. Umberto was once a celebrated pianist composer, but since he lost his sight he has turned his back on the music that is his great passion. Once, Catriona
‘I would love to return to each of my story worlds. I would love to tell the stories from different angles and perspectives, go back in time and forward, fill gaps, reimagine – dream it all over again…’
Indiscretion: a compelling story of love and identity, danger and desire. Yours free!
‘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…’
‘To write fiction, to express oneself eloquently and with passion, to set down the words in order – that requires triumph over chaos. But more than that, I think writing demands finding a harmonious way of being with chaos…’
‘Does it matter, ultimately, when a romance is interrupted, when a hero and heroine spend years apart when they could have been together?’
‘Reading is a passport to distant lands. From the comfort of your armchair – or your bed, or your window seat, or your garden bench – you can visit the Himalayas or the Grand Canyon or the Pyramids…’
‘There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy… Is the shore at Lake Como haunted, and if so, by whom? And why: what tragic secret has been buried there?’
‘Two cafés with long and prominent histories, Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots in Paris: inspirational, fascinating and a chance to brush shoulders with the ghosts of the greats…’
‘Finding a book that speaks to you feels like finding treasure. There’s a magic to it – a spark of energy when you realise the book in your hand is one you’re going to read…’
‘As a child, I longed for the world to be only sunshine and rainbows and happy-ever-afters. As an adult, I understand that real romance is multi-faceted, and there is a danger in indulging in fantasy…’
‘Studies have shown that bibliotherapy is especially powerful for alleviating anxiety and depression, which makes reading so important for us all right now as we are trapped in a bubble of worry, fear and isolation. Reading is an act of self-love; it is a way to make yourself feel better…’
‘The best romances offer an opportunity for readers to learn about something new, such as an interesting occupation or a place. In my own romances, I take readers to fascinating locations around the world, like Lake Como and Venice and Cadiz, so that my books are like a passport to travel from the comfort of your own home…’
‘My romance novel Burning Embers: FREE for all readers…’
‘In these difficult times, the act of reading can transport us away from a world that feels dark and threatening and grant us a reprieve from our worries. When we read we connect to people. We are not alone…’
‘The Ancient Greeks practised ornithomancy: divination based on the flights and songs of birds. In my novel Aphrodite’s Tears, I was inspired to weave in some bird symbolism of my own…’
Egyptian artefact smuggling is a theme in my novel Song of the Nile, and of course it originates in the age-old crime of tomb robbing.
In Song of the Nile, my heroine, Aida, is a nurse who has been deeply touched by the stories of great nurses of previous wars.
Research has shown that men are less keen to read books by women. Why? And is this a helpful attitude?
Ancient Egypt was a great civilisation, and we have the Ancient Egyptians to thank for many advances that are foundation stones of our modern world.
One of my favourite Middle Eastern recipes is dolma, which is very popular in Egypt.
In writing articles about my homeland, Egypt, how could I miss out the stunning temples of Abu Simbel at Aswan?
To be a scribe in Ancient Egypt was to live a life of knowledge, respect and wealth…
My novel Song of the Nile is set in 1940s Egypt, after the World War. This was a time of escapism and making hay while the sun shone. But a revolution was looming…
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