I don't tackle major global events. I don't like to read about something - an event, a cataclysm - in fiction for the sake of reading it.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Rather than writing about international events, I write about individual lives. There is elation and sadness, death and birth, love and jealousy, co-operation and betrayal. All the great emotional transactions that happen wherever people come together.
Sometimes I can receive the world and regurgitate my version of events easily and sometimes it's hard.
I'm not a great reader of historical fiction; it's not my favourite genre.
I don't generally read a lot of fiction.
As much as I love historical fiction, my problem with historical fiction is that you always know what's going to happen.
It's difficult to write anything at the moment, as every week there's a seismic shift in world events.
You kind of hope that the events themselves are interesting. I think that's what you have to hope for, that on a broad level it's an interesting story.
One of the joys of writing historical fiction is the chance to read as much as you like on a pet subject - so much that you could easily bore your friends senseless on the topic.
I always like when things are loosely based on real events. That always makes it more interesting because there's a lot of research you can do.
I can read a newspaper article, and it might trigger something else in my mind. I often like to choose in historical fiction things or subject matter I don't feel have been given a fair shake in history.