Clare Mulley talks to HWA Honorary Patron, Michael Morpurgo, about the extraordinary family history that inspired his latest book. On 17 August 1944, Michael Morpurgo’s uncle, Francis Cammaerts, was scheduled to be executed. He and two colleagues had been arrested by the Nazi German occupying forces in southern France, who rightly suspected that they were […]
Historia Q&A: Giles Kristian
Giles Kristian’s bestselling Viking trilogies have been acclaimed by peers, reviewers and readers alike. Wings of the Storm, the final instalment of the Rise of Sigurd trilogy, was shortlisted for the HWA Gold Crown in 2017. His new novel, Lancelot, published this month, is an epic reimagining of the story of King Arthur’s most famous knight. […]
Historia Q&A: Ben Kane
Kenya born, Irish by blood and UK resident, Ben Kane’s passion for history has seen him change career from veterinary medicine to writing, and taken him to more than 60 countries, and all 7 continents. During his travels and subsequent research, including walking hundreds of miles in complete Roman military gear, he has learned much […]
Historia Interviews: Kate Mosse
The Burning Chambers, the first in a new series by Kate Mosse, is published today. Anna Mazzola met with her to discuss how to write compelling stories, what historical fiction says about the present day, pre-publication nerves and strong black coffee. Firstly, congratulations on a brilliant and gripping novel. I tore through it in a […]
Historia Q&A: Rachel Hore
Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, where she teaches publishing and creative writing at UEA. She is the author of nine novels; the latest, Last Letter Home, is out now. What is your earliest memory? Climbing up the ladder into a wooden beach-hut aged 18 […]
Historia Interviews: Clare Mulley
Clare Mulley is one of an exciting group of biographers who are also acclaimed historians. In all three of her books Clare has written about remarkable and original women who were very different, except for one factor: their achievements have not been widely known. The Woman Who Saved Children, a biography of Eglantyne Jebb, founder of […]
Historia Interviews: Bettany Hughes
Katherine Clements speaks to Bettany Hughes about women in history, gender equality and her love affair with Istanbul. ‘When I very first went into the BBC a producer said, “Nobody wants to be lectured at by a woman”.’ 25 years, 3 books and 250 million viewers later, I think it’s safe to say, that producer was […]
Historia Q&A: Mark Ellis
Mark Ellis is the author of the DCI Frank Merlin series of thrillers, set in London during the Second World War. The latest, Merlin at War, was published in July 2017. What is your idea of perfect happiness? A good book and a glass of wine, sitting by the pool in warm sun. When did […]