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,
Category: Inspiration for my writing
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
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 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,
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,
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
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
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
The sensuality of dance
In 1987 a new American film studio released a movie shot on a low budget and with no major stars. Expectations were not high. And
Tale as old as time: The fairy-tale
Once upon a time… those four simple words evoke such wonderful memories for me. I remember being a little girl, bathed and ready for bed,
Doppelganger: An intriguing phenomenon
In my latest novel, Masquerade, the heroine Luz receives a dark warning from a gypsy woman: Gemini, Gemini … Deceptive Gemini. You think you know
Andalusian Nights on horseback
My new trilogy, spanning Indiscretion, Masquerade and the forthcoming Legacy, is set in Andalusia, Spain. Wherever I set my stories, it is important to me
Fiesta de Los Tres Reyes Mages
For many countries, Christmas is but a distant memory (have you taken down your decorations by now? I expect so). But not for the Spanish,
The Carnival of Cadiz
My latest book, Masquerade, is set in and around Cadiz, one of the eight provinces that constitute the autonomous community of Andalusia. The city of Cadiz, as
A gallant gentleman
What springs to mind when you read the word gallant? For me, the word is from a time gone by, when social norms were very
‘This Masquerade’
Today I’m inviting you to take a musical interlude, and step back in time with a version of ‘This Masquerade’ by the Carpenters, which dates
‘We’re all tribal…’
In my new book Masquerade, an ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality dominates the location in which the story is set: Andalucía. On the one side is
‘Knowledge is success’: A driving force
In my new book Masquerade, the heroine, Luz, is a writer who has taken a commission to write a biography on a famous Spanish artist.
Innovative sequels to extend the book’s legacy
Two stories recently in the news caught my eye. The first concerns JK Rowling and her enduringly popular Harry Potter series. Having announced in 2013
While away an hour in the British Library – at home!
I recently came across an article discussing the British Library’s collection of images. Fascinating, I thought at once: I love to visit the library when
Favourite poem: The Masquerade
With my new book entitled Masquerade, I read plenty of poetry on this theme while writing the book. Here’s one I love, by American poet
Burning Embers: The book that began my great adventure
Being a writer means immersing yourself in story worlds. Living and breathing the characters’ lives. Knowing those characters. Loving those characters. When I am writing