Hild
Novel set in 7th-century Britain. Winner of the Washington State Book Award. “In its ambition and intelligence, Hild might best be compared to Hilary Mantel’s novels about Thomas Cromwell.” — Bookforum
Read morehistorical fiction
The qualities of a great historical novel
From: PatSurely you’ve read Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles, yes? Although a male protagonist, they are a corking good read. I’ve hand-sold and recommended them…
Read moreInteresting bits of an interesting year, Part Two
In Part One of this look back at 2012, I talked about the ukulele, a portrait of me, some teaching, and my travels….
Read moreWhy I Really Like This Book: a great podcast
From: Kate Macdonald I’m starting a new miniseries of podcasts on my weekly 10-minute podcast site, Why I Really Like This Book,…
Read moreRecreating the past, steering the future
When I was writing about the Polari prize the other day, I was reminded of a question that came up here both…
Read moreOrange Prize 2012 longlist
To coincide with International Women’s Day, the judges of the this year’s Orange Prize (the UK’s only annual book award for fiction…
Read moreHistorical fiction and science fiction
Okay, one’s historical and one’s fantasy but, eh, close enough for Saturday Annalee Newnitz has an article on io9.com about the “ten…
Read morePimped-out bee
On Tuesday afternoon, during a brief break in the clouds (sun! I saw it!), I sat outside on the deck to contemplate…
Read moreNovelists: how young is ‘young’?
In the New York Times, Sam Tanenhaus ponders the notion that the best fiction is written by people (he mostly talks about…
Read morehistorical fact vs. fiction
Most of you already know I’m writing a novel set in seventh-century Britain. This, of course, makes it an historical novel, though…
Read moreWolf Hall wins the Booker
Hilary Mantel wins the Booker Prize for Wolf Hall, a novel about Thomas Cromwell. It’s a long meaty historical, apparently; the first…
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