A full house for the History Forum at Letchworth Settlement with fellow historical fiction writers.

Elizabeth Barber showed us the prehistoric flint she found in her garden which inspired her to write her beautifully illustrated book for children ‘Stone Arrows’. Set around 7,000 years ago, it is an exciting story about two children who are in mortal danger and make a perilous journey to find safety with their mother’s birth tribe. it is not only a page turner but is meticulously researched and all sorts of information is subtly woven into the story. She spoke about filling the gaps where there is little information to be had, making sure that  what she imagined chimed with what is known.

Paul Walker, a Tudor historian, spoke about the language used when writing historical fiction. How to make it sound authentic for the period but also accessible to the reader. This is a considerable skill which he has in abundance; read his William Constable novels to see how expertly he manages this.

I spoke about those ‘moments’ when I have seen something or heard someone speak of something which has made me say ‘I never knew that!’ and led me to research various historical events and then, in due course, write a novel about them. My Australian shipwreck stories are one example and my new book, for adults, ‘The King’s Command’ another, where a chance remark by a cousin made me find out about my Huguenot ancestors and why they fled France in the seventeenth century.

A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon with an attentive and enthusiastic audience and  a delicious tea to follow!