About

Who inspires you?

Which writers inspire you?

Many writers have inspired me. They include: William Somerset Maugham, John Fowles, Robert Harris, Brian Moore, Graham Greene, Robert Graves, Thomas Hardy, Emily Bronte, James Ellroy, Rex Clements (my late great-uncle, since you ask), Ian Fleming, Gustave Flaubert, Emile Zola, Georgette Heyer, Frederick Forsyth, John Buchan, Geoffrey Household, Cormac McCarthy, John Steinbeck, Gore Vidal, Sebastian Faulks, W.B.Yeats, Anya Seton. That's a pretty eclectic mix - but they do all have one thing in common: they keep you gripped.

How long have you been planning the John Shakespeare novels?

Oh, about 16 years so far. I conceived the idea in 1994 and it took a long time to develop. I had masses of research to do and was busy holding down a full-time job in newspapers.

Do you know how many books there will be in the series?

All I can say is that there will be at least five. Two have already been published - Martyr and Revenger - and the third is scheduled to come out next spring. I am full of ideas and the late sixteenth century is packed with great stories just waiting to be plucked, like ripe mulberries.

Somerset Maugham

(May 13, 2010) Just heard comedian Bill Bailey on the BBC radio 4 programme Open Book, extolling the virtues of William Somerset Maugham. I heartily agree with all the praise he heaped on Maugham. The great thing about him is that his body of work is so large, that there will always be another book, another story, to discover. And if you want to know more about the man himself, buy Selina Hastings's superb biography, The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham (published by John Murray, £25 - or wait for the paperback later this year).

Lavenham

(April 30, 2010) Wonderful outing to Lavenham in Suffolk (east of England) to celebrate the UK launch of Revenger. It really is the most remarkable little town (or large village), full of ancient wood-frame houses from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, when it was one of wealthiest places in England, thanks to its cloth-making industry. It is worth a visit simply to see the old Guildhall - a remarkable building that dominates the market square. Inside, the light and space are exquisite. Equally beautiful and interesting is Little Hall, just a few yards away and built at a similar time. During the Second World War, Little Hall provided a home for evacuee children from London. I am told that many of them enjoyed their stay so much they continued to return to the place long after the war was over.

(April 30, 2010) Wonderful outing to Lavenham in Suffolk (east of England) to celebrate the UK launch of Revenger. It really is the most remarkable little town (or large village), full of ancient wood-frame houses from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, when it was one of wealthiest places in England, thanks to its cloth-making industry. It is worth a visit simply to see the old Guildhall - a remarkable building that dominates the market square. Inside, the light and space are exquisite. Equally beautiful and interesting is Little Hall, just a few yards away and built at a similar time. In my imagination, it is similar to the house that John Shakespeare lives in. During the Second World War, Little Hall provided a home for evacuee children from London. I am told that many of them enjoyed their stay so much they continued to return to the place long after the war was over.

crimecrackers

(February 18, 2010) Many thanks to the Crimecrackers reading group from Cambridge for inviting me to their monthly meeting at Heffers bookshop last night.  We had a lively and challenging discussion about the appearance of real historical characters in works of fiction. One Crimecracker couldn't bear coming across historical characters at any price - so wasn't too pleased to encounter Sir Francis Drake in Martyr. I respect his opinion; we all have different tastes. But if you follow his line through to its logical conclusion, you would have to rule out all William Shakespeare's history plays, Robert Graves's I, Claudius, all CJ Sansom's books,  Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, The Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth, most of Robert Harris's novels - and thousands upon thousands of other brilliant works.

I actually have no question, I just wanted to tell you how very much I enjoyed your book!. I finished it just last night, and it was wonderful. I have told all of my friends that it is like CSI in the 15th century. I can't wait for more adventures with John Shakespeare.

(February 9, 2010) To Patricia who wrote that she enjoyed Martyr - and compared it to a Tudor CSI - I would just like to say thank-you. I can't reply to you in person because you did not leave an email address.

(January 29, 2010) It's always good to discover new websites devoted to the world of books. I was delighted to come across workingwritersandbloggers.com, which is run by Cherie Burbach in chilly Wisconsin (though I can't believe it's any colder than Norfolk, England, this bitter, never-ending winter). She interviewed me and gave me the chance to talk about some of my favourite books. Have a look at the interview on her website and see if you agree or disagree with my choices.

(January 29, 2010) It's always good to discover new websites devoted to the world of books. I was delighted to come across workingwritersandbloggers.com, which is run by Cherie Burbach in chilly Wisconsin (though I can't believe it's any colder than Norfolk, England, this bitter, never-ending winter). She interviewed me and gave me the chance to talk about some of my favourite books. Have a look at the interview on her website and see if you agree or disagree with my choices.

(January 21, 2010). Snow now almost all gone from Norfolk (there's a small patch of igloo left in the back garden). The good news is that most of the songbirds seem to have survived the bitter weather. We have greenfinches, tits, siskins, robins, sparrows, doves, blackbirds pigeons (of course), as well as a field full of crows on the hill behind us. Great stuff.

(January 21, 2010). Snow now almost all gone from Norfolk (there's a small patch of igloo left in the back garden). The good news is that most of the songbirds seem to have survived the bitter weather. We have greenfinches, tits, siskins, robins, sparrows, doves, blackbirds pigeons (of course), as well as a field full of crows on the hill behind us. Great stuff.

ellis peters awards

(October 30, 2009). Congratulations to Philip Kerr on his victory in the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award with his novel If The Dead Rise Not. He deserved the prestigious prize not just for his book - but also for his hilarious acceptance speech at the ceremony in Fitzroy Square, London.

Justin Pollard

(September 1, 2009) Anyone who enjoys the hilarious QI on television will love Justin Pollard's work, because he is a writer on the series (which, of course, stars Stephen Fry).  I'm looking forward to Justin's new book Secret Britain: The Hidden Bits of our History, which is due out next month. In the meantime, you should be able to access his excellent new website www.secretbritain.com from Monday (September 7).

Liz Bestic

(August 27, 2009) It was excellent to hear from Liz Bestic, a former colleague from newspaper days who, like me, has now taken the low road to East Anglia - and is forging ahead as an artist. Have a look at her website: www.besticart.co.uk.

Reading

(August 1, 2009) Most of my reading is history books, but I've read a couple of terrific novels recently.  Best of the bunch was Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Can't wait to see the film now. The other one I really liked was The Ghost, a very intelligent and clever thriller by Robert Harris. He just gets better and better. I also enjoyed The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri; it's part of the quirky Montalbano detective series set in Sicily. Some of his antics are most un-policemanish (drink-driving, vandalism, insubordination) but his taste for Italian cooking is spot on.

John Shakespeare's birth

(July 30, 2009) A reviewer on Amazon.com wonders about the birth details of John Shakespeare. Well, he was born in 1558, six years before his brother Will. The register at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, gives his christening date as October 15. The cleric spells his name wrongly as Jone Shakspere and there seems to be some confusion over gender, but such errors were not uncommon in the 16th century. For instance, in 1582, a marriage license for William Shaxpere and Anne Whatley of Temple Grafton was granted the day before another entry for William Shagspere to marry Anne Hathwey of Shottery. It is clearly the same couple - the playwright Will and Anne Hathaway - which just demonstrates the mistakes that were commonly made, either through carelessness or the taking of strong drink. 

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