Diana talks to Samantha Houghton

Hi Samantha. You are such an inspirational lady that as soon as I heard about your book, I knew I wanted to talk to you here on Diana Talks...
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!

Why did I write my book? I wrote my book for a few reasons – other peoples stories of overcoming adversity have hugely inspired me over the years and I promised myself that I wanted to do the same for other people one day. I also wrote it for myself, I still had some embedded shame about my past and writing was a way of letting go. Also I love to write about emotions and thoughts. My book covered all three.

What is the genre you are best known for? As this is my first book, it would be mental health/self development – but I am getting known for this as my passion, writing or otherwise.

If your latest book The invisible Girl: A SecretLife   was adapted into a TV show or a film, who would you like to play the lead role? Now there’s a question…I’m going to choose Angelina Jolie as I recently read about the adversity in her life that she overcame and think she would totally understand the role.

What made you choose this genre? It chose me, as it is my own true story.

Favourite picture or work of art? There is no one’s art work specifically, I just know when I see what I love – it’s usually something a little abstract but not too extreme. I appreciate different, bold, textured and detailed all in one.

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 believe I would enjoy writing a psychological thriller, and yes I have an idea of how I’d like it to go using some real life elements as inspiration.

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. When I was at school, I adored creative writing and excelled in class. I would always be reading and writing out of school, short stories, poetry and letters. Then as I got older, started a family, it drifted. However during the past five years in business I have rekindled my love to write with blogging, copywriting and social media posts. Last year, after getting into public speaking, all I felt compelled to do was to share my story, this turned into writing about it. I wrote two chapters then due to the nature of my story I froze and came away from sharing it. Then earlier this year, I sat down and within sixteen days the book was written. It was incredible!

Marmite? Love it or hate it? 

Do you have any rituals and routines when writing? Your favourite cup for example or ‘that’ piece of music...??  I am most productive when I am in a quiet coffee shop, a latte at my side and the energy really works magic for me.

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? I do like to be fully focussed, but as my writing is true life, my family are the characters!

Other than writing full time, what would be your dream job? Possibly a forensic psychologist or my other freelance work, as a mindset mentor/coach.

Coffee or tea?Red or white? Coffee definitely ( already mentioned above !) and red, unless its sparkling.

How much of your work is planned before you start? Do you have a full draft or let it find its way?  I like a rough plan to work from, what I call my skeleton that I can add the meat to and allow the writing to elaborate and flow.

If you had free choice over the font your book is printed in, what font/fonts would you choose? I choose the fonts this time, but I think it depends on the style of the book to be honest, but nothing too small as it is more accessible for people with limited vision.

Cornish clotted cream fudge or strawberry fudge? J Clotted cream

Imagine that you could get hold of any original source document. What would it be? I would be fascinated to read work that I wrote as a teenager but I destroyed most of it as it held bad memories for me.

How much research do you do and do you ever go on research trips? I did a little family research and created a time line of events to work from. I did not go on any trips.

Authors of non-fiction have to contend with real characters doing their own thing. Are there any ‘real’ characters you have been tempted to ignore because you just don’t like them or they spoil the *plot*? It was difficult to write about certain people in my book and situations, but felt they were an important part to leave out. I wanted to give a real life portrayal.

How important to you is correct historical detail in tourist orientated venues? Relatively important.

Have you ever totally hated or fallen in love with one of your characters? Totally hated yes….

What do you enjoy reading for pleasure? I read mostly non fiction as I love to learn, research and study for my work, so a lot of psychology and self development books for me. Also memoirs.

What drink would you recommend drinking whilst reading your latest book? Coffee…or something stronger perhaps as it is very nitty gritty and raw.

Last but not least... favourite author? As not reading fiction myself these days, I love memoirs but most are one offs. As a serial writer, I love Dave Pelzer’s work. Amazing writing and amazing guy.

About "A secret Life":

A very honest and heartfelt true story of a girl's struggles with her mental health from her teenage years through to mid life. Admitted to a psychiatric unit at fifteen and continuing to suffer throughout her adult life with Bulimia, Depression, Anxiety, Obsessions and Self Harm. 

Always struggling with her sense of self, searching for answers and the therapy that would make the big difference. Fiercely determined to overcome adversities in her life during her journey through motherhood, divorce, relationships and employment through to her passion for personal development to launching her first business. Sharing what helped her and the insights that developed throughout her life. An inspirational story full of hope, strength, tenacity and a huge desire to reach out to others in a dark place.

A note from Diana. This lady is very beautiful and very brave and has my utmost respect.

Please tag her her Facebook page.

 Sam Houghton

© Diana Milne January 2017 © Samantha Houghton 15/8/2017

Commemorating Bosworth: Bosworth Field - The Battle

There are few battles as significant as the Battle of Bosworth, which took place on August 22^nd in 1485. It is viewed as ending the long running Wars of the Roses between the Lancastrian (Red) and Yorkist (White) houses; finishing the Plantagenet dynasty under Richard III, while installing a new branch of Lancastrians under Henry Tudor, the Earl of Richmond.

By the C15^th  perhaps due to the ongoing dynastic strife, the age-old feudal system had been corrupted. Loyalty to the king was no longer a given; instead nobles mustered able bodied men to their own militias, under their own command. Actual personal relationships between King and lord probably held more sway than any perceived sense of loyalty to the estate of the crown. The more powerful a lord, the greater the incentive the crown would have to yield to win over a house’s support. When all else failed, of course, there was always the practice of holding hostages as insurance. 

Due to resentment over the manner that Richard had seized the throne and the disappearance of the princes in the tower; Henry Tudor, an exiled Lancastrian, left Brittany and landed in South Wales with a force of some 2000 French mercenaries.

Henry took his time travelling through Wales and the Marches gathering support. In all he called to his banners around 2000 Welsh recruits and around 1000 Englishmen. Accompanying his venture were many Lancastrian exiles, including the experienced John de Vere, Earl of Oxford; whose strategic nous would prove invaluable to the inexperienced Henry. 

Meanwhile Richard, with 3000 men, moved to intercept Henry demanding his lords to join him; his most loyal supporter was John Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, commanding around 3000 men at arms. Also answering his summons was the Duke of Northumberland with 4000 and, dragging their feet,were the Stanleys from Cheshire with 6000. During the Wars of the Roses the Stanleys had a reputation of hanging back from many of the bloodbaths until a critical point. To make matters worse relations between Richard and the Stanleys were not the best, so to ensure his reluctant allies' support Richard held Lord Stanley’s son as a hostage. Henry himself had made overtures to the Stanleys but true to form they had held back from openly declaring their allegiance to either claimant. In theory then Richard had three times as many troops as Henry.

In the C15th battlefield tactics had seen a reemergence of heavy infantry. The Longbow, Pike and Billhook - and to some extent cannon - had robbed cavalry of their battlefield supremacy. Cavalry were now mainly used to chase down a retreating enemy and ensure a rout and also to swing around the flanks and prevent the foe escaping.

Nobles and professional men-at–arms would be encased in steel plate, wielding sword and mace, while levies would have quilted armour, if fortunate a helm, and would be armed with poleaxe weapons.

Heading west, Richard’s forces moved through Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire and took position on Ambion Hill with Norfolk. Ambion Hill overlooked a plain with an area of marsh on his left flank. Behind this marshy area Northumberland’s forces formed his rear-guard.

To the west at White Moors were Henry’s forces, while south of the marsh, visible from Richard's position, the Stanleys and their 6000 men camped at Dadlington. The Stanleys had, in effect, acted as a screen to Henry’s forces, while Richard’s army assembled.

Forced to attack Henry’s army swung east, and then north, to be able to cross the river that drained into the marsh. While advancing Richard’s cannon harassed them. Although becoming more common, cannon were notorious at this time; they were inaccurate and easily overheated, with the unfortunate tendency of sometimes exploding and killing their crews. If the Stanleys had attacked at this juncture the battle would have been over. Indeed Richard demanded that they take action, threatening the death of his hostage; but Lord Stanley would not move coldly replying that he had other sons.

Staying at the rear with his guard, Henry gave command of his army to Oxford. Oxford ordered that his men stay in a single formation and formed a wedge and advanced with his cavalry guarding the flanks. After the usual exchange of arrows Richard ordered Norfolk to attack.

In the desperate hand to hand melee Oxford’s wedge formation began to gain the upperhand. Richard’s superior numbers were negated as they couldn’t break the formation and destroy them piecemeal. Oxford had ordered that his men shouldn’t stray more than ten feet from their banners.  Richard ordered Northumberland to attack but this force didn’t move. Whether he was mirroring the Stanleys or disloyal to Richard is unknown. If he had advanced he would either had to swing east in a wide flanking move to avoid the marsh or would have had to advance through Richard’s forces currently engaged with the enemy. To add to Richard’s woes Norfolk was struck in the face with an arrow and killed. The battles' outcome was on a knife edge and both commanders knew that the Stanleys could sway the result either way.

King Richard may have been lacking luck at Bosworth but he certainly wasn’t lacking courage. He saw that Henry had moved with his bodyguard to negotiate with the Stanleys. In a desperate bid to land a decisive blow, Richard, with a small mounted force, swung around the melee to attack Henry’s force. Richard himself felled Henry’s standard bearer and came very close to Henry himself. Henry’s bodyguard were sorely pressed to defend their lord from the battle crazed Yorkist king. It was at this point the Stanleys made their move, seeing Richard isolated they fell upon him, forcing his small force into the marsh. With his horse stuck in the boggy ground or killed beneath him as in the Shakespearian verse, and after coming within a sword length of Henry himself, Richard found himself surrounded.

Men with halberds fell upon him, striking him so fiercely that he lost his helmet with its golden circlet. It was said that it was a Welshman, Rhys ap Thomas who delivered the death blow.

With Norfolk and the king dead all hope was lost for the Yorkist cause. Northumberland and his forces fled north. The circlet was retrieved and Henry was crowned king on a hill at nearby Stoke Golding.

In 2013 the positive identification of King Richard’s remains in a car park in Leicester revealed a skeleton with ten wounds, eight of them to the head.  So died Richard III. An usurper? Maybe. A child killer? Perhaps. A brave warrior? Absolutely.

Rob Bayliss is a reviewer at The Review and is currently writing his own fantasy series.     Information on his writing projects can be found at Flint & Steel, Fire & Shadow.

Commemorating Bosworth: What Manner of King was Henry VII? by Louise Rule

The Coat of Arms for Henry VII

Whether you stand on the side of Richard III or Henry VII, The Battle of Bosworth Field, on Saturday 22nd August, 1485, was the culmination of The Wars of the Roses, and brought an end to the bloody civil war between The Houses of York, and Lancaster. 

Elizabeth of York

Henry VII

Henry VII was the last king to win his crown on the battlefield, a crown that was worn by Richard III. That same crown was placed on the head of Henry VII, on Bosworth's battlefield. Although we know that Henry VII founded the Tudor dynasty, and reigned for almost twenty-four years, what manner of king was he?

As with all monarchs before him, who had been schooled in the art of being a king, he, in contrast, had not been trained in either the arts of statesmanship, diplomacy or warfare, but came to the throne new to the prospect of ruling a country. This then, by the evidence of history, makes his achievements all the more remarkable.

The pennant of Henry VII

Henry had declared himself king By Right of Conquest, retrospectively, from 21st August, 1485, this would mean that anyone fighting for Richard III, would be committing treason. This would also mean that Henry could confiscate the lands and all the property of Richard.

While he was still in Leicester, Henry VII was already taking precautions to prevent a rebellion against his reign. He sent Robert Willoughby to Sheriff Hutton, which is about 10 miles north of York, to have Edward, Earl of Warwick, a ten-year-old boy, arrested and taken to the Tower of London. The ten-year-old represented a threat as a potential rival to the new king, as he was the son of George, Duke of Clarence. In 1486, Henry VII married Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV, and niece to Richard III, thus strengthening his right to the throne.

This stained glass window is in
St. James Church, Sutton Cheney
It commemorates the Battle of Bosworth
Richard III on the left
Henry VII on the right

Henry was very astute; he secured his crown by dividing and undermining the power that the nobility enjoyed, by the enterprising use of bonds and recognisances. It is known, that although he came to the throne with little or no fiscal experience, he did, overtime, however, restore the fortunes of an almost bankrupt exchequer. He also introduced stability in his financial administration, by keeping the same financial advisers throughout his reign; they being, Lord Dynham, and Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. They were the only two official holders of the position of Lord High Treasurer of England, throughout Henry VII's reign.

The red rose of The House of Lancaster, and the white rose of The House of York

Henry VII was threatened by several active rebellions over the next coming years.

1486:

Rebellion of the Stafford brothers and Viscount Lovall. This was the first uprising against

Henry VII.

1487:

Yorkists led by Lincoln, rebelled in support of Lambert Simnel, a boy who claimed to be the Earl of Warwick, son of Edward IV's brother, Clarence, (who had last been seen as a prisoner in The Tower).

1490:

Perkin Warbeck, from Tournaisis (now Belgium), claimed to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, and gained support outside England.

1499:

Henry had the Earl of Warwick executed, but spared Warwick's elder sister, Margaret, however, Margaret, was executed by Henry VIII, in 1541.

1502:

The first son and heir-apparent, Arthur, Prince of Wales, died unexpectedly. He was staying at Ludlow Castle at the time, and although the cause is not certain, it is believed to have been what         was known at the time as, English sweating sickness. Henry, Duke of York, later to be Henry             VIII, became the new heir-apparent to the throne.

On 21st April, 1509, Henry VII died at Richmond Palace, it is said, from tuberculosis. He was buried at Westminster Abbey, next to his beloved wife, Elizabeth, in the chapel which he had commissioned. On 29th June, 1509, just two short months later, his mother, Margaret Beaufort, died. Henry VII was succeeded by his second son, Henry VIII, a king who will live in infamy, because of The Reformation, and, of course, because of his eight wives.

There is much written about both Richard III, and Henry VII, and no matter whether it is fact, exaggeration, or mere myth, history has demonstrated that Henry VII made many good changes for England.

Richard III captured the nations interest more recently, when his remains were found in the car park in Leicester. A remarkable event that was, too. I do think, however, that because of the worldwide publicity, Richard III achieved a resurgence of interest. Henry VII, on the other hand, was not a charismatic king, but his reforms are well documented. Henry VII unfortunately fades into the background, as he was overshadowed by both Richard III, and his son, Henry VIII.

The memorial plaque for Richard III

Was Henry VII a better king than Richard III? It really does depend on where your loyalties lie, for, even after the intervening 530 years, there is still a rich debate about who was indeed the better king.

For me, I would have to say that Henry VII was, because of the overall benefits that he brought to England throughout is reign, although there will never be a definitive answer to that, of course. 

St. James the Greater, Dadlington.
The dead of The Battle of Bosworth
were buried here