Forget House of Cards. Forget Game of Thrones. There's one show out in recent years which eclipses them all in terms of brutality and intrigue. Sons of Anarchy. A show about American bikers sounds like the last thing an up and coming novelist should be talking about. It might be brutal, but shouldn't you be … Continue reading On Sons of Anarchy
“I have not broken your heart―you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.” Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights. Give me a dark, tragic romance that's bitter-sweet. Give me all the cliches. I don't care. Sometimes stories end on a nice note. Sometimes stories have good people rewarded and bad people punished and all … Continue reading On Wuthering Heights
I am a man. I like Pride and Prejudice. I'm not sorry. For some of you that's probably enough. You like Pride and Prejudice too and you can't understand why anyone wouldn't. For those of you who have never read (or seen) it, or have but hate it anyway, I'm going to take some time … Continue reading On Pride and Prejudice
Read widely if you want to write well. So many people say this and, yeah, it's true. I would say not only read widely but experience as many different mediums as you can. The more ways you experience communication, the more tools you have to draw on when you're creating something yourself. This principle is … Continue reading Read widely and beyond
The mid-90's and early 2000's was a great time to be a child in Australia. Not that I'm biased or anything but our Children's Fiction was the envy of the world. Years later I had friends in Britain telling me how Britain imported our TV shows at the time and that they, half the world … Continue reading Why Aussies have the best Children’s Fiction
Surrounded by such great authors as Bernard Cornwell, Philippa Gregory and Conn Iggulden, I was convinced writing Historical Fiction was a valuable, almost noble endeavour. But how did I think I could compete with such greats? I wasn't sure until I read one particular author who convinced me it was worth a shot. I'm talking … Continue reading Who am I to write?—My inspiration to write Historical Fiction
"As they faced a massed charge for the second time, the militia bunched even tighter, terrified and confused. Twenty thousand buzzing arrows smashed the red lines to their knees..." Conn Iggulden, Lords of the Bow. Sometimes you just want a good battle. If that was all he did, that would be enough. But Conn … Continue reading Conn Iggulden—Lord of the bow
"Jane had gone to pray for the dead queen, Anne would dance on her grave." Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl. Back when few people had heard of Game of Thrones, Philippa Gregory had taken the world by storm. On the one hand, The Other Boleyn Girl is like any other medieval court novel: intrigue, sex, … Continue reading Philippa Gregory—The Other Boleyn Girl
"O'er the hills and o'er the main Through Flanders, Portugal and Spain King George commands and we obey Over the hills and far away" Why is Bernard Cornwell such a successful Historical Fiction author? I have a slight confession to start with. While I've read almost every other book Cornwell has written, I haven't actually … Continue reading Bernard Cornwell—Over the Hills and Far Away
"[...] wars or pestilences, in every page; the men all so good for nothing, and hardly any women at all—it is very tiresome: and yet I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention." Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey. "I know it is the fashion … Continue reading History or Fiction… you can’t have both, can you?