The third Jack Telford novel, A Betrayal of Heroes, is published in July 2021. And here's how I tried to build and research his travels and his trials. From Casablanca to Brazzaville, from the beaches of Normandy to the Liberation of Paris. I had three things on my mind - three things which inspired the story. First, at the end of the last Jack … [Read more...] about How I was able to build and research a WW2 background
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Statues and slavery – a comment
Oh, dear. They put me on the spot. Statues and Slavery. If you've been following my Yale Trilogy, you'll know that Part One, The Doubtful Diaries of Wicked Mistress Yale, is rooted around Elihu Yale's involvement, on behalf of the English East India Company, in the Indian Ocean Slave Trade during the 1680s. Elihu Yale - the Pub, the Person and … [Read more...] about Statues and slavery – a comment
Mistress Yale’s Diaries, The Resources
The Yale resources that provided the historical background to the trilogy, to Catherine Yale's Diaries, have been considerable. I list them here only because so many readers have requested further materials. Materials to explore in more depth those fifty years covered by the novels. Fifty years of hugely turbulent upheaval both in Britain and in … [Read more...] about Mistress Yale’s Diaries, The Resources
The Strange Case of Elihu Yale’s Tomb
Writing historical novels sometimes takes me to strange places - and this time into the mystery of Elihu Yale's tomb. Back in June 2019, I accepted an invitation to do a book-signing at the Yale Bookstore in New Haven, Connecticut. Fabulous book shop just near the university’s campus. And the book in question, of course, was The Doubtful Diaries … [Read more...] about The Strange Case of Elihu Yale’s Tomb
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