I've had lots of questions about building the world for The House on Hunter Street (2022). First, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Cheshire premiere for the stunning new movie, The Colour Room, telling the story of Clarice Cliff. Our thanks to Heidi Chapman for the invitation and for her hard work in organising the event as a fundraiser … [Read more...] about Liverpool 1911 – Building the World of Suffragettes and Strikers
Writing Tips related articles
I don't pretend to be an expert on this stuff, but occasionally I'm asked to write or speak about particular aspects of my own writing - like these blog posts.
Foreign Language in Historical Novels – and a Mention for Esperanto
Three Ways to Use Foreign Language in Novels It was my second novel, The Assassin’s Mark. The story took my main character, journalist Jack Telford, to Spain. Towards the end of the Spanish Civil War. Jack had learned some French. Some Spanish as well. And so, to give the novel colour, I used the “normal” three ways to sensibly introduce some … [Read more...] about Foreign Language in Historical Novels – and a Mention for Esperanto
Travel as a Writer’s Essential Research Tool
Travel may broaden the mind - but it’s also essential as part of a writer’s research. I've always had this writing rule. I try never to write about any of my major settings unless I've actually been there. But Covid made this impossible while I was working on A Betrayal of Heroes. So yes, normally we'd have found some way, Ann and myself, of … [Read more...] about Travel as a Writer’s Essential Research Tool
Building a Historical Fiction World
You should pack your bags for an epic adventure back in time through the pages of this latest Jack Telford novel, A Betrayal of Heroes, and some less frequented settings of this Second World War thriller. Here I explore the role of world building in historical fiction and take us on a journey from wartime Casablanca to Brazzaville, from the … [Read more...] about Building a Historical Fiction World
Writing Great Battle Scenes
I was asked to take part in a panel session at a Historical Novel Society Conference in the USA. About writing great battle scenes. And I was privileged to share the platform with three superb authors, Glen Craney, Charlene Newcomb and Jack Hight. The session was actually billed as Landscapes Turned Red: The Pacifist’s Guide to Writing Authentic … [Read more...] about Writing Great Battle Scenes