Offline

In case you are wondering where I've been over the last couple of weeks... I've been offline because I have no internet connection at home. I'm hoping to be back online next week so back to more regular blogging then.

While I've not had home internet access I've got some writing done, been to a very interesting talk given by literary agent Karolina Sutton of ICM Books, and also finished my tax forms!

Taxes

Death and taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them!
Margaret Mitchell

There comes a time in every author's year when one must do one's taxes. As I don't earn anything near enough to make it worth employing an accountant I have to do it all myself. Taxes are like line-edits - time comsuming, boring, uncreative and demanding of very intense concentration. It's not difficult, it's just the fear of making a mistake which makes it seem a bigger deal than it probably is. Anyway, the paperwork is nearly all amassed and so I'm planning to finish my self-forms and get them posted off at the weekend.

Historical fiction and history

I have my column for Solander magazine to put together and I was wondering how far historical fiction has a role in the teaching of history. And how far historical fiction authors consider themselves (amateur?) historians.

I know that I love writing the early nineteenth century period because it's a period of history with a zeitgiest I love and want to communicate and share it with others. I also know that I take my research pretty seriously and that I want to show people aspects of the past they've not come across before. Perhaps in a way I want to challenge their preconceptions.

What about you? If you write historical fiction, what is the role of history in your historical fiction? And if you read historical fiction, how much of it is about learning and appreciating stuff about the past?

Canada and Birthday

The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.
Agatha Christie

It's my birthday today and I just checked my email to find a note from Michelle Styles to wish me Happy Birthday and also that a writing friend from Canada had bought The Lady Soldier now it was available on Amazon.ca. Guess what the sales rank is then for The Lady Soldier on Amazon.ca today? Answer: 281!

Really don't get these Amazon rankings but I'm smiling. It's so exciting thinking about one's story really being in all these places across the world.