How useful is advice like ‘Show, don’t tell’ and ‘Write what you know’ for authors in general and writers of historical fiction in particular? Jem Poster, who’s an author and an emeritus professor of Creative Writing, takes a closer look. Whatever genre they work in, good fiction writers know better than to give unqualified assent […]
Feisty Victorian women
Were Victorian women feisty? As Jem Poster says, they wouldn’t have recognised the word, but they’d have known the attitude. Some were feisty enough to become detectives – like Eliza Mace, the fictional protagonist of his new book. Reviewers of our co-written historical detective mystery, Eliza Mace, have repeatedly described the book’s titular heroine as […]
The delights and dilemmas of using real people in historical fiction
“It’s fiction, but there has to be a grounding in truth.” Chris Lloyd, author of the Eddie Giral novels set in Paris in 1940, considers the delights — and the dilemmas — of using real people as characters in historical fiction. One of the biggest dilemmas I feel that historical fiction writers face is whether […]
How period guidebooks and maps help me write murder mysteries.
Fiona Veitch Smith explains how period guidebooks and maps help her write 1920s & 30s murder mysteries. The next, The Pyramid Murders, comes out on 13 June. “The Pyramids – The indispensable excursion on the outskirts of Cairo is that to the Pyramids. There is an excellent tram service, and many people will find that […]
Historia interview: SG MacLean
To mark SG (Shona) MacLean’s new novel, The Winter List, being published, Historia spoke to her about returning to characters we thought we’d seen the last of, as well as how she goes about researching her novels and the importance of place. Shona also offered us some advice for new writers as well as a […]
Historia Live in September – our next author event
Do you love books and history? Would you like to hear your favourite HWA authors talking about all things historical fiction at an in-person event in a historic London pub? Then join us at Historia Live in September! After the successful launch of Historia Live in June, the HWA brings you three more much-loved authors […]
Historia interview: Alice Fowler
With the closing date for the HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition in a couple of weeks’ time, we spoke to Alice Fowler, the winner of the 2020 contest. Like several other competition winners, she now has a publication deal; her short story collection, The Truth Has Arms And Legs, is out in July. We […]
Historia interview: Ben Kane
As his new book, Napoleon’s Spy, takes Ben Kane into a new era, we talk to him about his latest novel, researching historical fiction, and his next project. Ben also offers some tips for new writers. King, your last book, saw the end of your Richard I Lionheart trilogy. Is it a wrench to leave […]