I Have Returned!
It's fair to say that there has been a small hiatus in my posts to you. Well, some may say you can have too much of a good thing, although whether that is my silence or my return is for you to decide! Some weeks ago, I opened
The Savonarola Stone
You might've met this guy before. If you've read Hiding the Flame, then you will certainly have read about him. This is Girolamo Savonarola, the fiery Dominican friar, who tried to save the souls of Florentines in the late 15th Century. He called out corruption in
Why Florence?
Last week, I had the great pleasure of launching my new book, Hiding the Flame, here in Cardiff. It was an event that meant a great deal to me, as each new book means to every author. It was also a great opportunity for me to talk about my writing,
Christmas Cheer
It's nearly upon us again. How does that happen? We know Christmas always lands on December 25th, and yet still it manages to take us by surprise. Have you finished shopping? Have you sent Christmas cards? (Do you send Christmas cards?) Have you ordered your turkey? Have you
Hiding the Flame
Cover image © Ray Lipscombe Oh, I enjoyed writing this one! After The Rose of Florence, I did wonder if that was my lot, the "one book" that everyone supposedly has in them, but there was more to say, more to explore and more to share. Some of the
A Matter of Taste
My love for Florence is no secret, and whenever anyone asks me what I recommend to see or do, I'm never short of a suggestion or two. Several years ago, I put together my own short guide to Florence, which I've shared with friends. Today, I
An Author's Special Day
I don't know who said "Never judge a book by its cover", but I, for one, love a good book cover. It gives us a first glimpse of the world we're about to step into. Those wonderful designers who create our covers are very
The Sicilian Secret
Why has Angela written a blog about Sicily? She hasn't even been there! Well, this Angela hasn't, but my fellow Cariad author, Angela Petch has. As you know, I occasionally share a blog with fellow authors, featuring books that I believe my readers would also enjoy,
A Little Spark
It's been just over a year since the publication of The Rose of Florence, and it's taken some time to organise my thoughts for Book #2. Should I do something completely different? I considered it (briefly), but unsurprisingly, I kept coming back to Renaissance Florence. It&
Guest Post - Luisa A Jones
As most of you will know, Florence was the biggest inspiration behind The Rose of Florence, and I'm always fascinated by the settings and history behind other authors' books. Today, I'm delighted to welcome Luisa A Jones to my blog, where she shares the inspiration
Happy Book Birthday to The Rose of Florence
We all have at least one book within us. Isn't that what they say? How many of us believe that to be true? I, for one, was extremely dubious. It seemed like an achievement only possible for "real authors", not normal human beings like you and
Food for Thought
It’s a great privilege to share my musings with you, and today I offer some culinary contemplations for your delectation! My debut novel, The Rose of Florence, is an historical fiction, based in Renaissance Florence and includes a mixture of romance, murder and intrigue. These may be the perfect