Rosemary Morris's Blog – October 2011 Archive (5)

Although there are many excellent books on ‘How to Write a Novel’ I decided to share how I plan mine.

Once I have an idea, I don’t plot my novels in detail, chapter by chapter, but I do have a plot in mind.

It is said that every plot can be found in classical fairy tales, folklore and mythology.  The hero or heroine goes on a journey, a pilgrimage or a quest and encounters obstacle after obstacle. So I consider which of seven basic plots suits…

I have just re-read The Little Madeleine by Mrs Robert Henrey which relates the joys and sorrows of Madeleine, a French girl loved by her mother, who earned a living as a talented seamstress, and her father, ‘a picturesque figure from the Midi.’

 "Mrs Henrey’s autobiography is the story of her girlhood in Montmartre and the wasteland near the Paris fortifications, or city walls, where the apache wielded his knife.  Her father was a picturesque figure from the midi.  Her…

Spinach and Curd Cheese Curry

¼ kilo paneer – curd cheese

½ kilo  baby spinach

¼ kilo fresh or frozen peas

3tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons of finely grated ginger

1 or 2 chilies optional.

Juice of one lemon

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1. Cut curd cheese into cubes.  Deep fry until golden brown and put in a bowl of cold water to keep it soft until…

Memories of Kenya & The Bolter by Frances Osborne

I have mixed memories of my life in Kenya from 1961 to 1982.  On the plus side are my happy recollections of the coast with its golden beaches, the grasslands teaming with wild animals, the lush green highlands.  On the minus side I was always a stranger in a strange land. I missed my family and friends in England and in spite of a privileged lifestyle wanted to live in…

Writing Historical Fiction

Historical fiction embraces different periods. 

Prehistory, Ancient civilisations such as Egyptian and Indian, Classical (Mainly Greek and Roman History)Biblical, From the 1^st century to the 20^th century, Multi-period, Timeslip, Historical Fantasy, Alternative History, Children and Young Adult.

Historical Fiction can also be divided into different…