Historical Fiction: S. G. MacLean & Andrew Taylor, Guest: Lucy Ribchester

Date/Time
Date(s) - Mon 27th Aug - Sat 1st Sep, 2018
5:00pm - 10:00am

Location
Moniack Mhor, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire , IV4 7HT

Conjuring Credible Histories

The purpose of this course is to accelerate the students’ development as writers of historical fiction. We will consider a variety of approaches to the genre; creating a sense of place; handling character and dialogue in a historical setting; problems of authenticity; research and its limitations; commercial considerations; and, most importantly, the tutors will discuss students’ own work individually.

S. G. (Shona) MacLean was born and brought up in the Scottish Highlands. She has a PhD in history from Aberdeen University and is the author of the Alexander Seaton and Damian Seeker historical crime series. Her first book, The Redemption of Alexander Seaton, was shortlisted for both the Saltire First Book Award and the CWA Historical Dagger. The Seeker was winner of the 2015 CWA Historical Dagger. She lives with her family near Inverness.

Andrew Taylor is a crime and historical novelist. He is the only person to have won the Historical Dagger three times, as well as the Diamond Dagger. Among his novels are the international bestseller, The American Boy (a Richard and Judy selection); the Roth Trilogy (filmed for TV as Fallen Angel); The Lydmouth Series; Bleeding Heart Square; The Scent of Death; The Silent Boy; and The Ashes of London, set during the Great Fire of London and selected as a recommended historical novel by the Walter Scott Prize Academy.
www.andrew-taylor.co.uk

Lucy Ribchester is a novelist and short story writer based in Edinburgh. In 2013 she received a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award for the opening chapters of her novel The Hourglass Factory, which went on to be longlisted for the Historical Writers’ Association Debut Crown. Her short fiction has been shortlisted for the Costa Short Story Award and Manchester Fiction Prize and in 2016 she was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Her writing takes place in various historical periods, from the 17th century to WWII.

A place on this course is an option for the winner of the Katharine Stewart Bursary.

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