Elizabeth Hopkinson's Hidden Grove

My historical fantasy novel Silver Hands is now on sale!  To celebrate, I'll be doing a couple of blogs about researching the historical background to the story, starting with this one about research I carried out locally. Amazingly, you often don't have to go far to find a whole wealth of knowledge and inspiration when it comes to history, even with a story like Silver Hands , which ranges in geographical scope from the English coast to a Japanese castle town.  There are three museums local to my native Yorkshire that get a special mention from me in the "acknowledgements" section of the book for being particularly helpful.                                             The Bay Hotel, Robin Hood's Bay The first is the Captain Cook Memorial Museum at Whitby.  Whitby and its neighbour, Robin Hood's Bay, were extremely useful to me in researching the parts of ...

A mysterious pendant.  A sinister suitor.  And an epic chase to the Edge of the Map...  1706. The rival Dutch and English East India Companies sail the world’s oceans, bringing back exotic treasures and tales of fantastical lands. In coastal Hollyport, Margaret faces a terrible choice: to abandon herself to a marriage that could erase her very soul, or to risk all aboard a ship bound for dangerous waters. With her betrothed husband, the sinister Mr Van Guelder in pursuit, Margaret embarks on a journey like no other: where pirates, flying islands and secret empires await; along with unexpected friendship from troubled young nobleman Taro, whose estate holds surprises and sorrows of its own. But Van Guelder is never far behind, nor is the power of the mysterious lodestone round his neck, and Margaret will have to learn the true nature of suffering before she can ever be free. “And so you read the Bible and your father’s account book?" Mr. Van ...

Later this week, Hidden Grove Extra will be participating in an online Spring Book Fair for historical novelists Go to this link to find out more, and see the names of the other authors who will be participating.  Hopefully, you will discover some new and interesting reads!