Welcome to my first chat with a New Zealand author of 2019. Today, I have something a little different on the blog. Andrew Macdonald is a non-fiction author, with a love of travel and military history. He has a background in journalism and was a correspondent at Reuters in London. He has published or contributed …
Is it lazy to research the history of a place by reading fiction stories set there? Asking for a friend. I do love finding out about the history of countries before I travel there and a good novel is such an interesting way to do it. Before we went to live in France, I searched …
Each month, around the 20th, I publish a Top Three. I am so happy about all the great writerly types I’ve met through blogging. Who else will understand the torture of plotting at 1am, the flirty brush of 1st person POV and the morning-after hangover of misguided secondary plots. There are finite words in the …
When it comes to research, a picture is worth a thousand words. I search Pinterest for inspiration and ideas on how everyday life would look for my characters. This week, I have been researching 18th century chatelaines and etuis. Read on to find out why French mistresses of the household would have made a clinking …
Peasant food in 18th century France was nothing like our romantic notions today. People ate according to what was available in the region and according to season. There was more variety in the cities as merchants and traders brought different products. The diet of normal people in France consisted of mainly soups, stews, bread and …
What was food really like in 18th century France? Read More »
We went to France three years ago craving inspiration. But we didn’t just stay for a month, oh no. We moved there for a year…
Motivation (n) is defined as ‘a reason or reasons for acting in a particular way’. I am sure you all know the meaning of the word but the real challenge is where to find it and how to keep finding it day after day. At the bottom of the third cup of coffee, perhaps. Or …
I am currently writing a novel set in the early 1700’s in France. I am researching Marseille, Provencal culture and the events of the time to gain a thorough understanding of the life and ideas of the people I am writing about. Researching 18th century France has been a learning curve as it was an …