Memorable historical novels of 2023
Some of the more memorable books I’ve reviewed this year. A selection of memorable Historical Novel Reviews of the year As a reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, and a Continue Reading →
Writing Fictional settings that won’t bore readers
When writing fiction, it’s important to set the scene, to portray the setting. But long descriptions can bore readers. Therefore, I’ve been considering how to describe setting, but writing to Continue Reading →
Writing Flash Fiction – Hints and Tips
I’ve been writing flash fiction for seven years now, and find it a great way to hone skills. I don’t worry about publishing it, I just use it as a Continue Reading →
Creative writing exercise: crafting an antagonist who readers will REALLY hate
Bigging up the Bad Guy– or Gal When I googled the question: how to make readers really hate my Bad Guy/Gal, antagonist, or villain, I got a range of suggestions, Continue Reading →
New Year, New Research
New year, a fresh start, and, one of my favourite parts of starting a new historical novel: the research. My latest story features an Anglo-Scandinavian woman healer living in 11th Continue Reading →
A creative writing exercise on subtext in dialogue – because real people don’t say what they mean.
Helen Johnson gives tips and tricks for writing subtext in dialogue. Continue Reading →
Historical Novels Review August 2021 issue
Historical Novels Review is out in print and online. Continue Reading →
Exercising creative writing technique: surprise
Helen Johnson shares an exercise in creative writing technique, for suprise. Continue Reading →
Genres in Genres
I’ve always enjoyed reading widely, never sticking to one genre, as you can see from this snapshot of one of my bookcases. And now, as a reviewer for the Historical Continue Reading →
My Debut as a reviewer for Historical Novels Reviews
I am delighted to announce my debut as a reviewer for the Historical Novels Society, a community of historical fiction lovers. The task proved not as easy as I’d imagined Continue Reading →