Gill Thompson tells Historia how she became a historical fiction author…
much to her surprise
‘Paedo Hunter Turns Prey!’ The ironic fate of the father of tabloid journalism
In the past few years, amateur paedophile hunters have rarely been far from the headlines of Britain’s tabloid newspapers, writes author Carolyn Kirby. “The nation is in the grip of an extraordinary phenomenon involving possibly thousands of have-a-go investigators,” said the Daily Mail in June last year. Sometimes caught on the wrong side of the […]
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition 2019
The HWA Dorothy Dunnett Short Story Competition for 2019
International trade in the early Middle Ages
After the fall of the Roman Empire, trade in Europe declined, roads fell into disrepair and commerce was centred on small towns and local markets; but by the 11th century new routes were opening up, Ironhand author Hilary Green tells Historia.
Matilda: The greatest king England never had
Catherine Hanley writes for Historia about Empress Matilda, the greatest king England never had.
A respectable trade in brutality
Laura Shepherd-Robinson tells Historia how a shameful period in Britain’s history spurred her to write Blood & Sugar.
Luck or lottery? Choosing your valentine in the 17th century
According to folklore, February is the time that birds begin to mate, and the first signs of Spring appear. As was normal in earlier periods, the arrival of Spring was expressed in terms of the feast-day of a saint; in this case, one of two early Roman martyrs, both named Valentinus, who died on 14 […]
An absence of presence: domestic records
Familiar things, like household accounts, can be the only traces that can lead us to the everyday lives of women in previous centuries. For author Stacey Halls, domestic records painted a detailed picture of 17th century life. In 1660, a pregnant woman named Alice Thornton had a dream in which the white sheet she slept […]