British authors | Jathan & Heather

TO THE DARK: An Interview with Chris Nickson

March 4, 2021 by Jathan Fink 1 Comment

On the streets of Leeds, payback can be brutal. (Photo courtesy Canva)

We love a chilling mystery populated with carefully crafted characters who leap off the page and settings that are so tangibly described it feels as if I have walked the city streets along with the novel’s protagonist. That is exactly what Chris Nickson’s latest thriller, To the Dark, is like. Atmospheric and dangerous, malice seems to emanate from every page of this new Simon Westow tale as the beloved thief-taker and his protégé, Jane, strive to solve a perplexing mystery before they are implicated in the crime. We hope you enjoy our exclusive interview with the author! —J&H

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Filed under Books, Interview Tagged with British authors, British fiction, British mysteries, historical fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Leeds, Simon Westow, thief-taker, To the Dark

A KNIGHT AND A SPY 1410: Nine Questions for Simon Fairfax [INTERVIEW]

December 21, 2020 by Jathan Fink 3 Comments

Knight on black horse — Simon Fairfax embellishes history in *A Knight and a Spy 1410.* (Photo courtesy Canva)

Intrepid spies, valiant knights, and the fair maidens who win their hearts. There are good reasons we romanticize the Medieval period and are captivated by its pageantry. Somehow, even now, the legends of iconic royals tease our imaginations and lure us back to their own era, centuries before any of us ever walked the Earth. It takes a deft writer to capture these stories on paper, to resurrect faded characters and bring old world history to vivid life. Yet that is exactly what author Simon Fairfax has done with his new series and its debut novel, A Knight and a Spy 1410. That’s why we were delighted to catch up with Simon and learn some of the stories behind the story in this insightful interview. Enjoy! —J&H

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Filed under Books, Interview Tagged with A Knight and a Spy 1410, adventure, British authors, British fiction, historical fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, history, knights, legends, Medieval period, Simon Fairfax, spies, writers, writing

Gillian Harvey’s ‘Everything is Fine’ Reminds Us to Stop Taking Ourselves so Seriously [REVIEW]

October 26, 2020 by Jathan Fink 1 Comment

Instagram food — On Instagram, it may look like she loves rabbit food, but that’s just because nobody’s caught her eating all those biscuits. (Photo courtesy Canva)

A blog seemed like a great idea in the beginning, when all she wanted was to lose a little weight. She thought a public diary would help her stick to her goals. Little did she realize just how much it would take over her entire life. In Gillian Harvey’s Everything is Fine, she reminds us that the road to ruin is paved with good intentions.

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Filed under Books Tagged with authors, British authors, comedy, Everything Is Fine, Facebook, Gillian Harvey, inspiration, Instagram, Orion Books, romantic comedy, social media

Author Gillian Harvey’s Love/Hate Relationship with Social Media [GUEST POST]

October 20, 2020 by Gillian Harvey 1 Comment

Author Gillian Harvey and her son Robbie overload on sugar. — Gill and her son Robbie overload on sugar. (Photo courtesy Gillian Harvey)

We love the premise of the novel, Everything is Fine, which is about a woman who has it all… at least on her Instagram feed. But in real life, things aren’t always what they appear. But how does a writer—who depends on social media platforms to get the word out about her work—truly feel about this aspect of online culture? Find out in today’s candid guest post from author Gillian Harvey. Enjoy! —J&H

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Filed under Books, Editorial Tagged with authors, British authors, comedy, Everything Is Fine, Facebook, family, France, Gillian Harvey, Guest Post, inspiration, Instagram, Orion Books, romantic comedy, social media, writers, writing

THE COPPER ROAD: Seven Questions for Richard Buxton [INTERVIEW]

October 19, 2020 by Jathan Fink 2 Comments

Richard Buxton reimagines the Civil War in his series, Shire’s Union. (Photo courtesy Canva/Ocoee Publishing/Richard Buxton)

Gone with the Wind. Gods and Generals. Cold Mountain. North and South. There is no shortage of novels about the Civil War. But few capture our imagination like Richard Buxton, one of England’s rising literary stars. With the release of the second volume in his Shire’s Union series, The Copper Road, we sit down with the author to discover why he’s so fascinated with American history and how it compares to events that are taking place today. Enjoy the interview! —J&H

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Filed under Books, Interview Tagged with American history, British authors, British fiction, Civil War, historic, historical, historical fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, history, Richard Buxton, Shire's Union, The Copper Road, travel, united states history, US history, writers, writing