Category Archives: History

Plague, Periwigs and Peccadilloes: the Diary of Samuel Pepys

Posted on December 9, 2019 by tthurai

Although diaries can be traced back to antiquity, the 17th century witnessed the real flowering of the diarist’s art. Following the Civil War and the Restoration of King Charles II, a new philosophical movement emerged: the Age of Enlightenment also … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, Diarists, History, John Evelyn, Lady Castlemaine, Plague, Raid on the Medway, Samuel Pepys, The Great Fire of London | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

6 Top Tips: How to Stay Calm When Editing

Posted on April 29, 2019 by tthurai

Editing is a well-kept secret – or maybe the skeleton in the cupboard – depending on your view of it. Yet it plays a critical role in whether your book, article or thesis is outstanding or simply average. Having been … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Editing, Editing tips, Fiction, History, self-publishing, The Devil Dancers, women self-publishers, women writers, World War 2, writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Slobs vs Workaholics: 10 Resolutions for the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2018 by tthurai

It doesn’t matter which category you fall into. Somewhere out there is a resolution that you can keep. The problem for most of us is that many resolutions are of long duration and require a good deal of effort. For that … Continue reading →

Posted in 2018, Archaeology, Christmas, Courses, Crosswords, Culture, exercise, Festivals, Fiction, finances, Food, ghost stories, History, IT, Languages, Learning, MOOC, Movies, New Year, Painting, Pottery, Resolutions, Short stories, writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Plum Pudding, riots and lechery: Christmas in the 17th century

Posted on December 22, 2017 by tthurai

In 1644, the Puritans gained control of Parliament. With Grinch-like fervour they set about cancelling Christmas. At a stroke, the traditional 12-day festival – a prolonged period of merriment and revelry characterised by rich food, dancing and excess – was … Continue reading →

Posted in 12 days of Christmas, 17th century, Canterbury, Christmas, Christmas pudding, Festivals, Food, Grinch, History, Pepys, Plum Pudding, Puritans, Riots | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bulls, Bears, Tippling and Lewder Places: The Thames Frost Fair of 1684

Posted on December 8, 2017 by tthurai

Over a period of 250 years, the River Thames froze so hard that its icy expanse provided the venue for a special festival: the Frost Fair. The reason for the big freeze was a combination of exceptionally hard winters and … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, Diarists, Frost Fair, History, John Evelyn, London, London Bridge, Pepys, River Thames, Royal Society, Sayes Court, Southwark | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vampires, Witches, Myths and Magical Realism

Posted on October 30, 2017 by tthurai

For readers and writers of supernatural stories who are weary of the well-trodden themes of the genre, research can provide new material and a fresh approach. It will help you to understand how some of the common elements of supernatural … Continue reading →

Posted in Angela Carter, Daniel Defoe, Eleanor of Cobham, Fiction, ghost stories, Grease Devils, Halloween, Henry IV, Henry V, History, Italy, Jack the Ripper, Law, Leeds Castle, Magic, Magical Realism, Myth, Plague, Plantagenets, Spring-Heeled Jack, Sri Lanka, The Devil Dancers, Travel, Vampires, Venice, Witches | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Raid on the Medway: an eyewitness account

Posted on June 9, 2017 by tthurai

While most of us are familiar with stories of the Plague (1665) and the Great Fire of London (1666), few are acquainted with the third catastrophe that hit England in 1667. On 9 June, the Dutch fleet led by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles II, History, John Evelyn, Kent, Medway, Raid on the Medway, Thames, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Leeds Castle: the tragic romance of a medieval duchess

Posted on May 30, 2016 by tthurai

Leeds Castle has been linked with a number of royal love-affairs, most notably that of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. But there is another tale – less well-known, but equally poignant. The marriage of Henry V’s brother, Duke Humphrey of … Continue reading →

Posted in Castles, Eleanor of Cobham, Henry V, Henry VI, History, Kent, Leeds Castle, Plantagenets, Shakespeare, Wars of the Roses, Witches | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Self-Publishing: 7 ways to get the most from a conference

Posted on May 19, 2016 by tthurai

Having recently attended Matador’s conference on self-publishing, I thought it would be useful to jot down a list of essentials to help you to get the most from a conference whatever the topic. Prep your questions in advance. Why are … Continue reading →

Posted in book festivals, Books, Ceylon, conferences, Copyright, Fiction, History, publishing, self-publishing, The Devil Dancers, writing, Writing Advice, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Canterbury Tale: sudden death and a hint of poison

Posted on March 19, 2016 by tthurai

At the east end of Canterbury Cathedral is a mysterious tomb. Placed awkwardly between two pillars, it lies in one of the Cathedral’s most prestigious burial sites, the Trinity Chapel, formerly the location of Becket’s shrine. This unadorned tomb is … Continue reading →

Posted in Canterbury, Cathedrals, Exiles, History, Huguenots, Odet de Coligny | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment