Essex and Elizabeth
On 25th February 1601 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex was executed for treason. The story is told in the 1939 film, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, starring Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. The story is also told in The Spy who Sank the Armada, my first novel...
Villanelle
The villanelle is a poetic form comprising five tercets followed by a quatrain. There are two repeating, rhyming refrains which run through the poem and form the final two lines. These refrains are supported by a supporting rhyme. This will all become clear if you...
Russia
On the 18th of February 1884 Russian police seized all copies of Leo Tolstoy’s book, What I Believe In. Tolstoy was born to an aristocratic family. In 1844 he began studying law and oriental languages at Kazan University, where his teachers described him as unable and...
Abraham Lincoln’s Beard
On the 16th February 1861 the president-elect, Abraham Lincoln, stopped his train in Westfield to thank an 11 year-old girl, Grace Bedell. Grace had written to Lincoln encouraging him to grow a beard in order to improve his appearance and win the election. Lincoln had...
Valentine’s Day
On Saint Valentine’s Day our minds turn to thoughts of love, but why? When I went to the On This Day webpage, I was expecting to find the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. I’d already asked ChatGBT to paint a picture of it for me. I don’t recognize Al Capone in there,...
FA Cup
On this day in 1874 Oxford University won the FA Cup, beating the Royal Engineers 2-0. I’m not a football fan. In the last match that I watched George Best and Bobby Charlton were playing. It was against Chelsea for whom Peter Bonetti (the Cat) was in goal. My father...
Editing
Editing is a vitally important part of writing. They say that great books aren’t written, they are re-written. But of course you have to have something to edit, and that is why the creation of the first draft is called “getting your shit down”. I’m having some...
Outlining
Today I’ve been working on outlining the remaining chapters of The Favourite Murder, the fifth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. I’ve already posted about research, collating my research in a spreadsheet, and working towards an ending. What I mean by...
A Good Start
Research is where I start my writing process. It’s also one of the most enjoyable and educational parts of the writing process. I have been reading about Henri II, Prince de Condé recently. He had a rather unfortunate start in life, having been born in prison. His...
Essex and Elizabeth
On 25th February 1601 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex was executed for treason. The story is told in the 1939 film, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, starring Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. The story is also told in The Spy who Sank the Armada, my first novel...
Villanelle
The villanelle is a poetic form comprising five tercets followed by a quatrain. There are two repeating, rhyming refrains which run through the poem and form the final two lines. These refrains are supported by a supporting rhyme. This will all become clear if you...
Russia
On the 18th of February 1884 Russian police seized all copies of Leo Tolstoy’s book, What I Believe In. Tolstoy was born to an aristocratic family. In 1844 he began studying law and oriental languages at Kazan University, where his teachers described him as unable and...
Abraham Lincoln’s Beard
On the 16th February 1861 the president-elect, Abraham Lincoln, stopped his train in Westfield to thank an 11 year-old girl, Grace Bedell. Grace had written to Lincoln encouraging him to grow a beard in order to improve his appearance and win the election. Lincoln had...
Valentine’s Day
On Saint Valentine’s Day our minds turn to thoughts of love, but why? When I went to the On This Day webpage, I was expecting to find the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. I’d already asked ChatGBT to paint a picture of it for me. I don’t recognize Al Capone in there,...
FA Cup
On this day in 1874 Oxford University won the FA Cup, beating the Royal Engineers 2-0. I’m not a football fan. In the last match that I watched George Best and Bobby Charlton were playing. It was against Chelsea for whom Peter Bonetti (the Cat) was in goal. My father...
Editing
Editing is a vitally important part of writing. They say that great books aren’t written, they are re-written. But of course you have to have something to edit, and that is why the creation of the first draft is called “getting your shit down”. I’m having some...
Outlining
Today I’ve been working on outlining the remaining chapters of The Favourite Murder, the fifth book of the Sir Anthony Standen Adventures. I’ve already posted about research, collating my research in a spreadsheet, and working towards an ending. What I mean by...
A Good Start
Research is where I start my writing process. It’s also one of the most enjoyable and educational parts of the writing process. I have been reading about Henri II, Prince de Condé recently. He had a rather unfortunate start in life, having been born in prison. His...