Delighted to welcome @deborahswift.bsky.social to my blog with her new book 'The Enemy's Wife'. Set in wartime Shanghai, it's a story of courage, sacrifice and hope. Highly recommended! alisonmortonauthor.com/2026/04/16/d... #historicalfiction @cathiedunn.bsky.social #TheEnemysWife

If you're looking for escapist thrillers with a Roman tone, off-piste heroines, loyalty, doing the right thing even if not quite legal, a family with bad eggs and true heroes, tough men with vulnerabilities, snappy dialogue, you're in the right place. www.alison-morton.com/2023/09/20/s...

INSURRECTIO (Roma Nova) YouTube video by Alison Morton

Hooray! Happy book birthday to INSURRECTIO, the story of an amoral populist taking power and one woman's struggle to oppose it. youtu.be/DpBVLxTGrQ0
“INSURRECTIO – a taut, fast-paced thriller and I enjoyed it enormously. Rome, guns and rebellion. Darkly gripping stuff.” – Conn Iggulden

History Month doesn't finish in March! Historical fiction is perfect for all year. Check out this fabulous selection from @bookfunnel.bsky.social books.bookfunnel.com/historical-a... #historicalfiction #bookstoread

Amazons: Myth, Fear, Long Memory The Amazons stride through ancient myth with spears, bows, and a reputation that unsettled the ancient world. These warrior women, said to live beyond the edges of the known Greek world near the Black Sea, were described as superb horse-archers, fiercely independent, and stubbornly resistant to male control. Whether they really existed as a distinct people is debated, but archaeology from the Eurasian steppe has uncovered graves of armed women among Scythian and Sarmatian cultures—enough to suggest that the legend may have grown from encounters with societies where women did, at times, ride and fight.

Amazons: Myth, Fear, Long Memory

The Amazons stride through ancient myth with spears, bows, and a reputation that unsettled the ancient world. These warrior women, said to live beyond the edges of the known Greek world near the Black Sea, were described as superb horse-archers, fiercely…

Amazons: Myth, Fear, Long Memory The Amazons stride through ancient myth with spears, bows, and a reputation that unsettled the ancient world. These warrior women, said to live beyond the edges of the known Greek world near the Black Sea, were described as superb horse-archers, fiercely independent, and stubbornly resistant to male control. Whether they really existed as a distinct people is debated, but archaeology from the Eurasian steppe has uncovered graves of armed women among Scythian and Sarmatian cultures—enough to suggest that the legend may have grown from encounters with societies where women did, at times, ride and fight.

Amazons: Myth, Fear, Long Memory

The Amazons stride through ancient myth with spears, bows, and a reputation that unsettled the ancient world. These warrior women, said to live beyond the edges of the known Greek world near the Black Sea, were described as superb horse-archers, fiercely…

For #WomensHistoryMonth, a few thoughts to set the discussion going... #herstory
www.alison-morton.com/2026/03/16/w...

Via Flaminia – crossing the spine of Roman Italy
www.alison-morton.com/2022/02/23/t...
And where *did* the saying “All roads lead to Rome” come from?
#viaflaminia #RomanEmpire #roads

#OTD 29 March 1194 – Richard the Lionheart visits Sherwood Forest The siege of Nottingham ended, so what’s a king to do? Relax! Go hunting in Sherwood Forest.  “On the twenty-ninth day of March, Richard, king of England, went to Clipston and the …

#OTD 29 March 1194
The Lionheart visits Sherwood Forest
charlenenewcomb.com/2017/03/otd-...
#history
#historicalfiction

💫🌹📖KINDLE UNLIMITED🌹📖💫
The enduring mystery of the Princes in the Tower.
"A gripping account filled with treachery, intrigue, and family drama."
Historical Fiction Company Book of the Year
#Medieval #HistoricalFiction #KindleUnlimited
geni.us/GodmothersSe...

Ancient Roman gemstone shows a grasshopper driving a butterfly-led chariot Roman jewelers created whimsical designs: this carnelian shows a grasshopper chariot led by butterflies, glowing in light.

Ancient Roman gemstone with grasshopper chariot - Boing Boing
boingboing.net/2026/03/27/a...

Spring has sprung! From the cherry tree in my garden.

Today, author Alison Morton introduces Aurelia & Carina Mitela – feisty heroines from Roma Nova.

Meet two remarkable characters whose loyalty and integrity leads them into danger!

thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2026/03/awar...
#AlternateFiction #WomensHistoryMonth
@alisonmorton.bsky.social

May I offer a thriller with a Roman twist? In an alternative 20th century, Praetorian Aurelia is hunting a silver smuggler who threatens to ruin Roma Nova. But Aurelia is caught between saving her country, her lover or her child. books2read.com/AURELIARomaN...
#alternativehistory #thriller

Rosemary Hayes – Code of Honour I'm delighted to welcome Rosemary Hayes back to the writing blog. She has written many books for children in a variety of genre, from edgy teenage fiction, historical fiction and middle grade fantasy to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books.  Many of her books have won or been shortlisted for awards and several have been translated into different languages. Rosemary has travelled widely but now lives in South Cambridgeshire. She has a background in publishing, having worked for Cambridge University Press before setting up her own company Anglia Young Books which she ran for some years.

Rosemary Hayes – Code of Honour

I'm delighted to welcome Rosemary Hayes back to the writing blog. She has written many books for children in a variety of genre, from edgy teenage fiction, historical fiction and middle grade fantasy to chapter books for early readers and texts for picture books. …

Not to my knowledge. I publish wide as mentioned in the blogpost (Kobo, Apple, Nook) and would be more than annoyed if they tried that on. You can DRM your books in other retailers, e.g. Kobo.

To DRM or not to DRM? | Alison Morton Author Amazon's KDP publishing arm is changing its conditions around Digital Rights Management. Every author should consider this, but what is the right decision?

To DRM or not to DRM? *The* question for #authors who publish with Amazon. We spend months researching, writing and honing a 1000,000 word story, so should we open our work up for free download or at least *try* to protect it? You decide! alisonmortonauthor.com/2025/12/20/t... #writinglife

Via Flaminia – crossing the spine of Roman Italy
www.alison-morton.com/2022/02/23/t...
And where *did* the saying “All roads lead to Rome” come from?
#viaflaminia #RomanEmpire #roads

"Thrillers" is such a wide category. Stories can be psychological, crime, espionage, historical, domestic, international, speculative and even mine which are alternative Roman historical thrillers. That's not even straying into mystery or suspense! #thrillerbooks #readingthrillers

For #WomensHistoryMonth, a few thoughts to set the discussion going... #herstory
www.alison-morton.com/2026/03/16/w...

"I truly love the way [the author] brings powerful, character-driven stories to life within the framework of history. In Rogues and Kings, the past never feels like a lecture or a timeline to memorize—it feels lived in."
#bookreviews #historicalfiction 💙📚
books2read.com/RoguesKings

Women’s history? Or her story? Wikipedia defines women’s history as follows, ‘Women's history is the study of the role that women have played in history, together with the methods needed to study women. It includes the study of the history of the growth of woman's rights throughout recorded history, the examination of individual women of historical significance, and the effect that historical events have had on women.

Women’s history? Or her story?

Wikipedia defines women’s history as follows, ‘Women's history is the study of the role that women have played in history, together with the methods needed to study women. It includes the study of the history of the growth of woman's rights throughout recorded…

I thoroughly enjoyed Char Newcomb's latest novel, beautifully combining myth, fact and historical fiction. #GreatHistoricalFiction #HistoricalFiction #NewReleast #MedievalSky

Double Pursuit ebook in the Mélisende contemporary thriller series is 99pence/99cents until Thursday 13 March.
Mel – Ex-French special forces
Jeff – A tough London Met cop
Gun-running, corruption, murder and a nemesis from the past.
books2read.com/DoublePursuit #crimethriller

Writers about writing Writers can't help talking about writing, especially when they meet other writers. When I was invited by Morgen Bailey to take part in the online Self Pub Fest in January, I enthusiastically said yes! Self-Pub Fest is a quarterly in person book festival celebrating self-published authors. The online festival via individual hourly Zoom – a new addition – features genre panels with up to six authors in each panel. See the About page for dates and timings of both versions. In January, I contributed to the crime fiction and historical fiction panels and loved being part of both.

Writers about writing

Writers can't help talking about writing, especially when they meet other writers. When I was invited by Morgen Bailey to take part in the online Self Pub Fest in January, I enthusiastically said yes! Self-Pub Fest is a quarterly in person book festival celebrating…

IWD and the Roma Nova way International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate women’s achievements, recognise the struggles that shaped them and look ahead to the work still to be done. Across the world, some women have stepped into leadership, challenged expectations and reshaped societies. Stories remain one of the most powerful ways to explore what courage, resilience and ambition could look like in practice.

IWD and the Roma Nova way

International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate women’s achievements, recognise the struggles that shaped them and look ahead to the work still to be done. Across the world, some women have stepped into leadership, challenged expectations and reshaped societies.…

Experts said, "Start on page 1 with a murder." So I did. ;-)
Double Identity, the first Mélisende European #thriller is the result. books2read.com/DoubleIdentity
Murder, deception, racketeering, an ex-French special forces heroine + a tough London cop with attitude. Yep, there are sparks... #books

Writing tics – The beasties! A writing tic is something you write over and over again without realising it. Perhaps you're in the zone and the words are flowing, especially on your first draft.  You’re bashing the story out and before you know it your favourite writing tic is all over the place. We can be completely oblivious to the way we overuse words and phrases without realising it. Their repetition can be distracting or boring for readers. Readers notice patterns, even if they can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong. Or perhaps it’s  something that only we, the  writers, spot when we go back and reread our work.

Writing tics – The beasties!

A writing tic is something you write over and over again without realising it. Perhaps you're in the zone and the words are flowing, especially on your first draft.  You’re bashing the story out and before you know it your favourite writing tic is all over the place.…

Hidden 18th century businesswomen

I'm delighted to welcome Jane Davis to the blog today. She is the author of character-driven historical and contemporary fiction that bridges meticulous research with compelling emotionally-rich storytelling.  Her novels explore subjects ranging from the life of a…

Love Lost in Time | Atmospheric French Dual Timeline by Cathie Dunn - Elizabeth St.John Love Lost in Time By Cathie Dunn A reluctant daughter. A dutiful wife. A mystery of the ages. Languedoc, France, 2018 Historian Madeleine Winters would rather research her next project than rehash the...

What do you do when a friend discovers ancient bones under her kitchen floor in the Languedoc? Write a brilliant historical fiction novel inspired by the find, of course!

@cathiedunn.bsky.social #GreatHistoricalFiction
@maryanneyarde.bsky.social

www.elizabethjstjohn.com/guest-author...