If you look under Tips on my website, you’ll find tips on research and writing and also on writing historical fiction, which you may find useful. The best advice I can give to anyone writing historical fiction is to ‘walk the walk’, visit the places you’re writing about to get a feel for the location:…
Your invitation to join the Plantagenet History Society for a talk by Peter Headley on ‘The Paston Letters: the everyday life of a fifteenth century family.’ Dated between 1422-1489, the collection comprises over 1000 letters and documents, including everything from wills to letters and even shopping lists, giving an intimate portrayal of both medieval…
So happy to be part of the inaugural Bangalay Festival, and I’m looking forward to my second session with Years 9 and 10 students from Chatswood High, Forest High and other local schools this coming Friday. I was so impressed with the students at my first workshop, how enthusiastically they tackled the various writing exercises…
Recently NPWS carried out a ‘cool’ burn off in the bush near my home, and today I ventured out on my well-loved bush path. Black everywhere, still wisps of smoke and an acrid stench of burning. However, I was thrilled to see (so well camouflaged!) a little wallaby, one of several that I sometimes encounter…
.Come and hear the Plantagenet History Society of Australia’s fascinating zoom interview with Philippa Langley, the real life heroine of the recent movie, The Lost King, based on her book and how she researched – and found – the remains of King Richard III in a Leicester City carpark. Meeting on Saturday, 20th May, 2…
Writing: It was such a pleasure to spend several hours at Chatswood High on Friday with students taking part in the Bangalay Literary Festival for local schools. Students have been given copies of my YA novel A Ring Through Time to read, and our workshop was spent on generating ideas: where do they come from,…
Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, Way of St James. Woman, pilgrim walking along the Camino frances (The French Way, in Spain), one of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes, surrounded by fields of poppies in bloom. (Photo by: Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Popular historian and broadcaster, Professor Carole Cusack, will take us along…
Lots of fun at my workshop on Creating Memorable Characters for the Society of Women Writers last week. And lots of terrific writing too, with participants using props, questions and writing tips to stimulate their imagination and keep them writing busily through the session. Thanks to all participants for their enthusiasm; I really enjoyed your…
Creating Memorable Characters! Looking forward to my workshop at the Society of Women Writers NSW this Wednesday 8th February where I’ll be guiding participants in a series of fun exercises designed to take a ‘cardboard cutout’ to creating characters who will engage your readers and keep them turning the pages until the very end. Winner…
Lovely to see many writing friends at the CBCA North Christmas Party last night, with lots of new books to celebrate, interesting news to swap, and also to say farewell and drink a toast to the inimitable Margaret Hamilton, who will be greatly missed by the children’s writers fraternity. Among new books being celebrated was…