The Little Mouse by CW Lovatt - a review by Diana Milne

The Little Mouse by C W Lovatt

"From the creator of the best selling Charlie Smithers Collection comes an endearing tale of enchantment and forest creatures with a powerful message. This charming story, with appeal to both young and old, shows that even the smallest of us is able to change the world and that nothing is impossible with trust, friendship and love."

In a beguiling departure from his usual genre, C W Lovatt introduces us to Kit, the smallest and youngest mouse in the Enchanted Forest, and takes us on a journey of delight and discovery following the mouse and his companions as they travel to find food after The Great Fire.

From the very first pages The Little Mouse has a magic and charm that is rarely found and can only be likened to such well known classics as The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, delighting readers for almost a hundred years, and one of my favourite books, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis. I can well see this book being read a hundred years from now. It deserves to be.

Although most of the characters are forest creatures, they have individual and very well developed personalities that the reader can relate to and get to know and love. Gort the badger is typical of his species, by appearing grumpy and bad tempered. Kit the mouse persuades him that being happy is a better option:

The badger’s brow wrinkled doubtfully.

“Happy? Me?” and then, “All the time?”

“Yes, all the time.”

“Oh.”

Gort pondered this imponderable for a moment, and then stretched his lips up from his snout in a dreadful smile.

“Howsh thish?” he asked through his fangs. Tod took a nervous step backwards, but the little mouse said, “That will do nicely, thank you..."

The scope and range in the book showcases the author's prestigious talent and versatility and this tale, which will appeal to all ages, carries not just one, but several important and poignant messages. Without being 'preachy,' the book lets the reader carry away a positive and life affirming precept.

With his clever use of words, words that often can express several meanings, Lovatt ensures that we have a tale that can be read on many different levels, making it suitable for the very young to the very old, all of whom will be bewitched by the charm and enchantment of being allowed to be into a magical land for a little while. The author also introduces a character, Smithers - the valet and Major Domo of the King - who can only be a relative of his famous Charlie Smithers, with a similar life outlook, work ethic and attention to detail to the well known man.

Each idea, each stage of the journey of the forest friends, is perfectly thought out and every detail meticulously but not tediously noted, the author having thought through the situation from the perspective of the creature, or human, in question, which adds greatly to the depth and richness of the narrative. We meet Kit here, his friend, Orso the bear, is in mortal danger, having been wounded deeply by a spear:

"It was he who had brought Orso to this place, and he thought that the bear’s death would be a burden too heavy to endure. The spear had gone deep – he had seen the blow struck – had watched, horrified, as the shaft had sunk into his friend’s body, and had seen the blood…

Then, caught in mid-sentence, the transformation began.

The blood…

The blood as it coursed through his body, gifting life – coursing… surging…weaker now…dwindling….but, still Life. As though his mind had become separated from his body, he rose and followed the passage of the deep wound into the bear’s body. At length, he came to the great heart, and a sound like a leaking bellows. There was a cut, a very little cut, in the wall of the artery.

It was then that the voice of the wizened old mouse appeared in his mind.

'Healing….healing….yessss….yessss…' "

Other than Kit and Orso, we meet Amos the porcupine, Lulu the skunk, Gort the badger, Rowena and her son Chaser, the deer and fawn, Bumper the hare and Tod the fox, plus the King, Queen and Princess, Smithers, various princes and guards and Farmer Brown and family and their unfortunate dog Brutus, all of whom help to create a glorious tapestry of a story.

The book is enhanced (if that is possible) with beautiful illustrations created by the talented Angel-Rose, who brings to life the pictures that Lovatt's words form in one's brain. The pictures are meticulously detailed and show unforgettable moments of the story in beautiful colour that will live in the reader's minds.

There are so many beautiful moments and little phrases or sentences to make the reader delight in the written word. This brought little tears to my eyes, it seems so very beautiful and so very, very profound: 'Why, Lord?' the little mouse asked through little tears, 'Why has this happened?'

The timing the author employs throughout the story is exceptional. Whether it is used for a dramatic moment, or for humour or to startle the reading audience, Lovatt never misses a beat and the reader reacts as if on cue, with the smile or the cry, yet the book is never predictable. I could not have foretold the incredible way the story unfolds near to the end of the tale. The a scene is described from a different point of view to the expected one and it had a major impact on not only the characters of the story, but on me! an impact that will not lessen with time but will remain clear in my mind.

It is a beautiful enchanted fantasy, with so much meaning and so much depth. I really enjoyed it and it made me smile and cry and believe in magic and totally took me out of myself for a while.

Another triumph for CW Lovatt. He has a totally unique and absolutely massive talent.


The book is available to pre-order, and will arrive on your Kindle on May 25th. Click here to preorder

About CW Lovatt

CW Lovatt is the award winning author of the best selling Charlie Smithers Collection, the short story anthology, “And Then It Rained,” and the critically acclaimed “Josiah Stubb: The Siege of Louisbourg.” 

“Interim,” is the second book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy and the third part is getting close to completion.

You may read CW Lovatt's blog here at Story River

I was privileged to interview C W Lovatt in 'Diana Talks To...' 
To read the interview please click Diana talks to CW Lovatt

The author hard at work with the help of his research assistant, Sindy, who told him everything she knew about little mice!
The picture is shared with the permission of absolutely no one. I blatantly stole it from the author's Facebook page 

About Angel-Rose, who created the inspirational illustrations.

I am Angel-Rose Smith, 25 from the UK. I spend the majority of my time drawing, painting or crafting. I enjoy baking and reading - or being a classic dork and playing video games!

Fun fact, I failed art at school



Ⓒ Diana Milne February 2018 revised May 2018

Today I welcome C. W. Lovatt to *Diana Talks... *

Today I welcome C. W. Lovatt to *Diana Talks... *

On 25th May,  C W Lovatt is releasing a new book, The Little Mouse, a complete change from his usual genre, with illustrations by Angel Rose. Two days before, on Wednesday 23rd May, the Review is hosting my in depth review of this charming and life affirming book. I won't give any spoilers now, but watch the Review Blog for the post on Wednesday.

*

The Hi Chuck. It is a real pleasure to talk to you here. Not only do I consider you a friend, I consider you an exceptionally talented writer. I am delighted to have the opportunity to see  a little of what goes on inside that formidably intelligent brain of yours ...

Are you sitting comfortably.

No??

Well, never mind... (sigh) ... wriggle around a bit then and let's just get on with the talk ...

First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

My own question, eh? Hmm, that is different! Let’s see, I’m going to go with ‘what’s it like being a writer?’

Well, it’s not as glamorous as I thought it would be, but remember I’ve dreamed of becoming a writer almost as soon as I learned how to read. As a consequence, there’s been plenty of time for that dream to grow to surpass all reason. For instance, I was going to own a tropical island and live in a house that opened up like a clam shell – you know, glamorous stuff like that. It’s laughable now, even risible, but that dream stood me in good stead over the years, through some really bleak times. When others (ie sane people) had nothing at all, I would always have that dream to sustain me. So when that long awaited first royalty cheque arrived and that dream vanished with an almost audible ‘pop,’ I couldn’t really begrudge its leaving, because it had already served me so well.

If your latest book, “Interim,” the second book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy, was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

I had to get some help with this one as I’m not as up on film actors as I used to be. A friend suggested Tom Hardy, so let’s go with him to play Josiah Stubb.

What made you choose this genre?

Historical Fiction appeals to me, so I figured that, if I’m going to sit down and write something as lengthy as a novel – to dedicate so much of myself, pouring my heart and guts out onto the page - it had better be about something that I’m interested in.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

Plots and characters are what make writing such a joy. Plots are usually the product of a ‘eureka’ moment I often have when something triggers the kernel of an idea. As far as characters go, I’ve never written any with a preconceived idea in mind, just as I’ve never had a preconceived idea about meeting a person. We introduce ourselves as would anyone else, and get to know one another over the course of time.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

I began my career writing short stories, with some success, winning awards and so on. During that time there can’t have been too many genres that I didn’t explore. In that light, I’m not afraid of other genres, in fact we’re old friends, and many examples can be found in in an eclectic anthology I’m very proud of entitled “And Then It Rained.”  (Note from Diana: If "And Then It Rained" is not my favourite book of all time, it certainly is there in the top three. Heck! What am I saying?? Thinking of the title story again and others that I love with a passion bordering on insanity for a story, yep, it has just been promoted to definitely my favourite book of all time!)

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

I would have to say that it was compelling. Why, I’ve no idea, it’s just something that I’ve come to accept over time. I wrote my first novel, longhand, back in my mid to late twenties, and you have to be serious to tackle a project like that.

Marmite? Love it or hate it?

Erm...it's an acquired taste...

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

I suppose my greatest ritual is to try to clear my desk before starting a new project. I need to keep distractions to a minimum, so that finding that ‘centre’ is more achievable. After that, it’s pretty much whatever works. I’ve written with the music on and with it off, in my office, in front of the television, out on my deck at night, or in the morning (summer and winter,) and out under the giant cottonwoods in my yard. Each novel has had its own routine, and I’m rather curious what it will be for my next one. Really, I’m a bit like a cat before taking a nap, turning and turning, before finally finding the place where I’m most comfortable.

(Note from Diana: Hmm. Clear? Desk? Clear desk?  Nope. I don't understand those words put together in that format!)

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

That’s a very good question and I’m glad you asked it! Next question, please…

((Laughing. Loudly!!))

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

I always wanted to be the next Neil Young.

(Note from Diana: Well, you can't. End of.)

Coffee or tea? Red or white?

Ooo, herbal tea, please (don’t judge,) and red.

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

I don’t have a plan, and that includes not having a plan to not having a plan. Sometimes I’ll write at least a partial outline, and sometimes I won’t write one at all. It depends on the project and (I’m coming to suspect) the phase of the moon.  😂

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?

Trust YOU to ask this one! Okay then, let’s see: so far Times New Roman is working for me, but you never know what the future holds. What I can tell you is that I’m not a fan of Helvetica.
(Everyone hates Helvetica! Printers hated Helvetica. It was the 'new big thing and everyone wanted it', but it was expensive and hard to get hold of.)

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?

The note that Lord Raglan scribbled to Lord Lucan, that caused the The Charge of the Light Brigade.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

Oh those characters! When haven’t they shocked me? But the thing to remember about writing is that it’s not about you, it’s about the story – always the story – and the thing to remember about the story is that it’s the characters who are telling it, the writer is merely the chronicler. So in answer to your question I pretty much give them their head, and try to keep up.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

Writing Historical Fiction requires extensive research…that is if you don’t want to look like an absolute fool. Nothing drives me around the bend more than to read such a work and find that it is riddled with inaccuracies. Further, I feel strongly that a work of Historical Fiction should be seen as an alternate reference book – something that takes those dry old textbooks, that we’ve all had to endure in school, and makes them interesting by weaving a tale through the facts.

As for research trips, I often travel to where the story is taking place, but not always. For the first book of the Josiah Stubb trilogy I went to see the fortress of Louisbourg for myself, and then on to St. John’s Newfoundland. For the second and third books, I travelled to Quebec City, and then drove the length of the Gaspé Peninsula. In 2015 I flew down to Australia and drove across the Nullarbor Plain while researching for “Adventures Downunder” – the latest in the Charlie Smithers Collection.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

Good lord no! If they spoil the plot, then it’s the plot that’s at fault. Create another one, by all means, but if you value your credibility, don’t alter the facts by one iota.

Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?

See above. Blasphemy!

Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?

I certainly hope so; it’s my business to do just that.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

Loiyan, my first leading lady, I loved her desperately.

(Note from Diana: We, the readers, could tell the depth of feeling with which this wonderful woman was written. It shone throughout the pages of not just the first book, but the second and third. I will never forget her plaintive cry of Charleeeee.)

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Anything, as long as it’s well written.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

A good stiff tot of something distilled. The action gets a bit intense at times.

Last but not least... favourite author?

My idol, George MacDonald Fraser, the author of the Flashman books.

Thank you, Chuck. That was a wonderful talk. 

You can read C W Lovatt's blog and find out more about him at Story River

He lives in Canada, where it is cold, and is the self-appointed Writer-In-Residence of Carroll, Manitoba, (population +/- 20).

This tree was upright before being leaned on by our author! Vandal!!

 C. W. (Chuck) Lovatt, is the author of the

Charlie Smithers Collection;

And then it Rained and currently the first two parts in the on going Josiah Stubb series, the second one of which, the excellent

Josiah Stubb: Interim,

was released to great excitement on 14th April last year by Wild Wolf Publishing.

© Diana Milne January 2017 © C W Lovatt April 2017

Diana talks to Susan Abernethy, author on The Freelance History Writer blog

Thank you Diana for giving me the opportunity to answer your delightful questions.

What is the genre you are best known for?

My blog, The Freelance History Writer is dedicated to medieval, Tudor and women’s history.  These are my favorite subjects to write about.  But I have left the parameters open to cover Ancient history to early modern so I can write about whatever takes my fancy.

What made you choose this genre?

History explains everything for me.  When I was a teenager, the series “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” aired on TV and I was fascinated.  That is when my interest in history started and I’ve never looked back.  It fostered my love of Tudor and medieval history and influenced me to get my degree in history in college. When I first began blogging, I started writing about women.  They have been neglected and maligned throughout history and I want to change that. 

Favorite picture or work of art?

I have many favorite portraits such as those of Tudor personalities, especially as they were painted by Hans Holbein the Younger.  But a few years ago I discovered the life of Isabel of Portugal, the princess who became the Duchess of Burgundy when she married Philip the Good in 1430.  There is a magnificent portrait of her painted c. 1450 from the workshop of Rogier van der Weyden, a Netherlandish painter who was born in Tournai.  A few months ago, I was in Los Angeles for an event and went to the Getty Museum where this portrait resides and got to see it close up.  There is so much detail that you can’t see when looking at the picture on the internet.

Portrait of Isabel of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy   

Add caption

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?)  How old were you when you first started to write seriously?

Actually, I drifted into it completely by accident when I was 55 years old.  A friend was looking for a partner to write with on her blog about women’s history.  I wrote my first article on Emma of Normandy, twice Queen of England and people seemed to love it.  After that, I was totally compelled to write and I still am!  I try to write an article a week.  It’s something that allows me to read, study and research about my favorite subject which is half the fun.

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?

Professor of Medieval and Early Modern European history at a university.  It is my belief that people should know more about history.  It would be my mission to make it fun and compelling so people would want to study it.  I like to think this is a little of what I’m doing with the blog. 

Coffee or tea?

Coffee.  This is a guilty pleasure.  I’ve been drinking Maxwell House International Coffees since I was a teenager.  My favorite flavor is Café Français.  I also indulge in a Starbucks Café Mocha occasionally.  My parents are big coffee drinkers so I followed in their footsteps!

How much of your work is planned before you start?  Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

In most cases, 80% of my work is planned.  I do a great deal of reading and research before I begin an article.  I then make copious notes.  Sometimes the notes turn into the article with little effort.  Other times, it takes some work to put all the notes together in the structure I want.  I enjoy this part of the process as well as the editing.

Imagine you could get hold of any original source document.  What would it be?

Recently I wrote an article on Catherine de Valois, Queen of England.  There is a small controversy regarding a statute that may or may not have been passed in Parliament putting restrictions on the subsequent marriages of a Dowager Queen of England.  We don’t know if such a statute was really passed or not as there are no existing records.  If it was, I’d like to get my hands on it.

Also, anything that would solve the mystery of what happened to the Princes in the Tower would be amazing to have.

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Anything about history really.  I’ve always loved biography.  Right now I’m reading a series of biographies on Mary Tudor, Queen Mary I of England.  The author of each book tackles the subject differently so it’s fun to evaluate and compare.  The enjoyable part for me is I can take pleasure in reading the books and use them for research at the same time.  Occasionally I will read a book just for fun but it’s always a history book.

How do you get ideas for articles on the blog?

I have several lines of research that I have followed since I started the blog six years ago.  Tudor and medieval history are the top of the list of course.  One of my favorite sections is a group of articles on the Queens of Scotland, England and France.  The Queens of Scotland section is for all intents and purposes finished.  I’m about 75% done with the Queens of England and have a long way to go on the Queens of France.  For the Tudors, I want to have a survey article for each monarch and I have three more to go.  I’m always adding to the Tudor section as there are many fascinating characters from this era. 

For medieval history there are so many topics to choose from and I find a lot of ideas just from reading for research.  I want to have an article on all the Valois Duchesses of Burgundy so that is my next project.  I have a long list of other potential topics I’m working my way through.

Have you ever thought of writing a book?

Yes.  Yes I have!  The idea is a daunting one for me.  There are some women I’ve come across that would make great topics for new biographies.  However, I can come up with a hundred excuses for not doing it.  Right now my focus is on the blog.  I really enjoy it so much it doesn’t seem like work for me.  So for now I’ll just stick with blogging.  However, you never know what the future holds.

© Diana Milne January 2017 (Susan Abernethy, February 1, 2018)

  

60 Beautiful Bat Facts: A Handy Guide for Writers & the Bat Curious by Jess Schira; a review by Diana Milne

Did you know that:

Bats could be the key to preventing a worldwide chocolate shortage?
That the U.S. military explored the possibility of using Mexican free-tailed bats during WWII?
In China, bats are a simple of luck, fertility, a long life, prosperity, virtue, and good luck?
That in Slavic folklore it was butterflies, not bats, that turned into vampires?
That the markings on a bat’s wings are as distinctive as fingerprints?
Bats account for 20% of the world’s mammal population?
That one little brown bat consumes more than 600 mosquitos in a single hour?
That in Germany, gamblers used to sew the heart of a bat onto their clothing for good luck?
That bats are more effective seed distributers than birds, making bats a key factor in the reforestation of the rain forests?

You’ll have a difficult time finding a mammal that’s more misunderstood than the bat. Since the dawn of time, bats and humans have shared an uneasy relationship. Humans have claimed that bats consort with the devil, were proof of witchcraft, and that they morphed into vampires, they’ve been used in medicines and viewed as harbingers of disasters. The reality is that bats are cute, harmless creatures that serve an important ecological purpose. They’re clean, peaceful animals that simply want to be left alone to do their job. Now that researchers have started to take in interest in bats, we’re learning that in addition to helping keep the mosquito population low, they’re also an evolutionary wonder.

Without bats, the world would be a very different, far less pleasant place to live.
This book lifts the lid on the mythology surrounding bats, explores how they live, and celebrates their ecological importance.

Whether you love bats, have always been curious about them, or simply wish to expand your Chiroptera knowledge, 60 Beautiful Bat Facts is for you. You’ll enjoy this laid back and easy-to-read exploration of all things bat-like, including Batman!


This wonderful book, written by Jess Schira, better known for historical fiction, was an extraordinary surprise, written in such an interesting way to be the best of several things - a totally fascinating factual book, that was as easy and as engaging to read as a novel. Schira shows time and again that not only does she understand bats, she loves these mammals with a passion.

The book is as fast paced as a thriller and it keeps the reader turning pages to find out more fascinating facts. The illustrations throughout this publication are a delight and greatly add to the enjoyment of the narrative. It records all the many ways that bats have interacted with humans, mostly way that have benefited mankind, and lays to rest the age old superstitions and bad folklore tales that have harmed bats in so many ways.

 I have always loved bats, and watch the pipistrelles in my garden on a summer evening with great pleasure as they dart about ridding the air of biting insects, but I had never realised there was such a huge difference in the size of various species.The largest species of bat is the giant golden-crowned  Acerodon jubatus, the so called Flying Fox because of its facial features. It is a rare fruit bat and endangered species that is part of the megabat family. The maximum size is just 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)., but its wingspan can reach 182 cm  (6 ft) !! Kitti's hog-nosed bat is about 29 to 33 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in) in length and 2 g (0.071 oz) in mass. hence the common name of "bumblebee bat". Pictures of it show that it really does appear to have a pig (or hog) nose! It is the smallest species of bat and may be the world's smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined.

After the introduction, there is a comprehensive list of contents, which (if you are reading the book on a Kindle or similar, as I did) are linked to the actual page that the information this appears on, a very useful feature. I addition, at the end, is a 'Bonus Section' for bats that have no natural place within the book. In this the reader meets such wonderful creatures as The Ghost Bat, New Zealand's Walking Bats (!!) and the Whiskered Bat.

As I mentioned before, the book reads with all the suave enjoyment of a novel, capturing and captivating the audience and drawing them into the story of bats ...

''While enjoying a late evening walk along the edge of a pond in Ireland, you stop to watch several small brownbats zip to and fro over the water. One of the bats veers off course, flying rapidly towards you and snatches a moth that looks nearly as big as the bat's head right in front of your nose. As you're marvelling at the bat's speed and agility, it disappears into the nearby treeline, the moth clutched between its tiny jaws.  

You've just been lucky enough to see a Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus) in action.''

Figure 60 © Manuel Ruedi [CC BY 3.0)), via Wikimedia Commons.

This is a brilliant book that has something in it for everyone of every age. I really enjoyed learning so much about these unusual animals and will happily read it again and keep it to 'dip into' when I am out and about in the countryside. It is also a valuable writer's research tool, for anyone who wishes to include bats in a book or for any student writing a project on unusual creatures at any level of education.

Buy with confidence. It is well worth it.


What other people say:

Tee Kay (verified Amazon purchaser)
5 stars.

Jess Schira does an excellent job of delivering facts--and keeping it interesting while she's doing it. This book is entertaining, as well as a great learning tool. I was surprised many times by how much I didn't know about bats. I think this would be an excellent addition to every middle school and high school library. Definitely my go-to book about bats.

Beth (verified Amazon purchaser)

5 stars

60 Beautiful Bat Facts chronicles all the roles that bats have played in the lives of humans and there are A LOT of interactions. I knew very little about bats before reading this book and now I know much more, arguably too much. I know about bats’ guano, gestation, and diseases. I also learned about folk lore, economic warfare, love potions, and farming. I highly recommend this book but it did challenge some of my current view on bats, and I am not a fan of changing my views. I may grow to appreciate bats more, but I will never love bats as much as Schira

About Jess Schira:

Writing provides Jess Schira with the unique opportunity to combine her love of agriculture, history, and unique characters into one project. When she's not writing, Jess can be found daydreaming, reading, and cheering on the Detroit Red Wings. She also spend an enormous amount of time with her horses, one which defies all laws of equine nature and another who is convinced that it's really a dragon/cat in a horse body. The same horse is currently teaching itself how to become a Ninja.

The good news is that Jess's third horse appears to be normal.












© Diana Milne March 2018

Diana talks to Geoff Gudgion, author of the compelling Saxon's Bane.

Hi Geoff. It is really good to make contact with you.

I am sure that you are tired of being asked the usual questions that would be interviewers ask authors, so hopefully this interview is an interview with a difference and I have come up with some unusual questions!

First things first I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!

What really bugs you about the publishing industry today?

-        It is incredibly risk-averse. These days it seems that the only authors selling manuscripts into mainstream publishers are either proven best-sellers or pneumatically-enhanced female celebrities with salacious stories to tell. I don’t qualify by any of those criteria.

What is the genre you are best known for?

-        I had no concept of ‘genre’ when I started, merely a story that was fighting to land on the page. Saxon’s Bane had a thriller’s pace, a touch of romance, and a hint of the supernatural. It was published as ‘horror’, somewhat to my, er, horror.  

What made you choose this genre?

-        I’d had one or two experiences that couldn’t be explained by science, and started writing stories with that scent of an otherness.

How do you get ideas for plots and characters?

-        I start with the concept of a book; the main character, a beginning, a challenge, and a possible resolution. After that, I find the characters grow themselves. The fun part is when they take over.

Favourite picture or work of art?

-        The Luttrell Psalter, with its wonderful margin drawings of life in 14th Century England. It’s available online thanks to the British Library.

If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!)  you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?

-        Historical fiction. I’m blessed with a very supportive agent, who told me last year that I have to choose whether to follow the market or my cross-genre muse. He even approved the concept of the book I’m now writing. It’s pure HF, set in 14th Century France, during the persecution of the Knights Templar.

Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.

-        It’s something I always wanted to do. I made my first attempt at writing a novel in my early 20’s, but it was another 30 years before I had the courage to make a career change, from business to consultancy, to free up time for writing.

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??

-        I’m lucky enough to have a garden office which is my creative space. It is only used for writing, and there are deliberately no distractions like telephones or internet. Each morning I set up my laptop, make coffee, update a wall chart with the previous day’s word count, and try not to stop before I’ve added 1,000 more.

I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?

-        Let me put it this way; my wife begins all conversations with the words “Earth to Geoffrey…” (Laughter coming from Diana HQ!)

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?

-        I start with an idea of how I’m going to finish, but I only plan about 10,000 words ahead. Part of the excitement is discovering twists and turns; I couldn’t do that if it was fully plotted in advance.

Have any of your characters ever shocked you and gone off on their own adventure leaving you scratching your head??? If so how did you cope with that!?

-        Yes! I go with them, let them play, and wait for the editing phase to decide whether they had a good idea.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?

-        Masses. For the current, HF project, the research notes run to about 60 folders in Scrivener. I went as close to original source material as possible, reading English translations of 14th century French and Latin documents; in total, at least 6 months’ work.

Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?

-        No. I’m writing plausible history, not alternative history.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters?

-        I was a little in love with Eadlin in Saxon’s Bane, and it’s happening again with a sharp, kick-ass girl in a world of armoured brawn.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?

-        The climax happens beside the Rhône during the era of the Avignon Popes, so it has to be a Châteauneuf du Pape.

Last but not least... favourite author?

-        Joanne Harris, who broke through the cross-genre barrier with ‘Chocolat’, and Bernard Cornwell for great HF adventures.

A little about Geoff's views on writing:

I try to avoid a genre straight-jacket; life, after all, does not fit into a genre box. Still, publishers need to put a label on books, and the label I am least uncomfortable with is ‘cross-over fiction’. It’s liberating rather than constraining. It acknowledges a boundary, then kicks it away.

There are unifying themes to my writing. Plots are set in the present day, but with their roots in the past. There may be an otherworldly element; a smell of sulphur among the roses. And they are written from the perspectives of both male and female characters. So if a tag is important to you, take your pick from fantasy, historical, and thriller. There’s even a touch of romance. In my own words, I weave worlds that blend people and place, place and history, past and present.

….and that leave the reader with the scent of an otherness.

Representation:

I am represented by Ian Drury at Sheil Land Associates, Literary Agents, 52 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LS

Telephone 020 7405 9351

© Diana Milne January 2018 © Geoff Gudgion 2018

Diana talks to Tony Robinson-Smith

Last month I went to a talk at the local community library by a former resident of the village, travel writer and world traveller, Tony Robinson-Smith. His talk was interesting, informative, moving, touching and totally inspirational.

Tony Robinson-Smith, his wife Nadya, and ten Bhutanese college students set out to run 578 kilometres (360 miles) across the Kingdom of Bhutan in the Himalayas. Joined by a stray dog, they slogged over five mountain passes, bathed in ice-clogged streams, ate over log fires, and stopped at every store, restaurant, guesthouse, and dzong to raise money for the Tarayana Foundation. The “Tara-thon” was the first endeavour of its kind and gave 350 village children the chance to go to school. En route, the Long Distance Dozen met a Buddhist lama, a royal prince, a Tibetan renegade, and a matriarch who told them the secret to long life. On arrival in Thimphu, they were decorated by Her Majesty the Queen. In this contemplative memoir, Tony describes Bhutan in rich detail at a transformative period in its history and reflects on tradition, belief, modernization, and happiness.

1) I am sure there is a question that you have always longed to be asked. Now is the chance. Ask your own question and answer it!
Which author in your genre do you most revere? Peter Matthiessen (the most introspective of travel writers.)

2) What is the genre you are best known for?
Travel writing

3) If your latest book, The Dragon Run, was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role?

I don't watch many movies... someone skinny who likes distance running could play me!
4) What made you choose this genre?
I have always enjoyed discovering foreign cultures and journalling my findings.
5) How do you get ideas for plots and characters?
Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, Caspar David Friedrich.
6) If, as a one off, (and you could guarantee publication!) you could write anything you wanted, is there another genre you would love to work with and do you already have a budding plot line in mind?
Sci-fi (no plot in mind).
7)Was becoming a writer a conscious decision or something that you drifted into (or even something so compelling that it could not be denied?) How old were you when you first started to write seriously.
Writing sprung from travel - a compulsion to record my experiences
8) Marmite? Love it or hate it?
Marmite is okay
9) Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??
Run and think. The sit and write
10) I promise I won’t tell them the answer to this, but when you are writing, who is more important, your family or your characters?
Family
11) Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job?
Professor of English

12) Coffee or tea? Red or white?
Tea, red
13) How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?
I resurrect memorable scenes, then look for a way of stringing them together
14) If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose?
Most legible

15) Cornish clotted cream fudge or Strawberry?
Don't like fudge
16) Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be?
None spring to mind
17) How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips?
Some research before the trip, a lot more, targeting areas of interest, on my return
18) Fiction authors have to contend with real characters invading our stories. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to prematurely kill off or ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the plot?
No. A non-fiction "plot" should not be tidy
19)Are you prepared to go away from the known facts for the sake of the story and if so how do you get around this?
Important. Accuracy lends veracity to a non-fic text
20) Do you find that the lines between fact and fiction sometimes become blurred?
No

21) What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?
Travel classics (Thesiger: Arabian Sands, Davison: Tracks, Newby: A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, Matthiessen: The Snow Leopard, H.M. Tomlinson: The Sea & the Jungle, etc)
22) What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book?
Ara (Bhutanese liquor)

23) Last but not least... favourite author?
Peter Matthiessen

Tony Robinson-Smith in the Community Library at Sapcote in Leicestershire, UK with the hard working volunteer librarian.

© Diana Milne 2018 © Tony Robinson-Smith 2018