Elizabeth Hopkinson's Hidden Grove

It's almost 2018, and here I am with my Christmas/birthday book haul. Possibly the best ever. I thought I'd post this now, at the threshold to a new year and revisit it later when I've read all the books in the pile, so you can hear my verdict on them. So, here's the list: To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey, author of The Snow Child.  Strange things happen when a husband goes to explore the interior of Alaska and his wife is left behind. At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald, author of my beloved Phantastes . Classic Victorian fantasy about a boy and a cab horse. The Paper Magician by Charlie N Homberg. First in a series about a student magician. The Iron Age by Arja Kajermo. A fairy-tale memoir of Finland and Sweden. Recently mentioned by booktuber Jen Campbell. The Less than Perfect Legend of Donna Creosote by Dan Micklethwaite, one of my fellow Fogotten & Fantastical authors. A modern fairytale of the inner city. The Travellin...

Well, it's 2015!  My Christmas decorations are coming down, which is very sad, but there are lots of things to look forward to in the new year.  Of course, no one can predict the future, but these are some of the arts and history things I'm looking forward to this year: 1. A glut of costume dramas exploding onto my TV as the new year kicks off.   The Musketeers, Grand Hotel, Foyle's War a nd Mr Selfridge , to name but four I know of. 2. Watching my two Christmas gift DVDs that I haven't yet seen: the new La Belle et la Bête and Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart. 3. Going to the Sam Wannamaker Playhouse in London to see Farinelli and the King  in February.  Not only is the play about my all-time 18th-century icon and the subject of one of my most popular blogs, but it's in a theatre I've been dying to see, and stars Iestyn Davies, one of my favourite countertenor singers. 4. The Manga Jiman Competition exhibition at the Embassy of Japan.  My daughter is invo...

I always like to do a review of the year, so at the end of 2013, I thought I would have a look through my blogs from the last 12 months.  Here are some of the things I have explored during my writerly journey this year: Hairy worms 18th century music therapy The natural partnership between writing and handicrafts Locations in Britain and Japan that inspired Silver Hands Comparing handless maidens with Juliet Marillier Similarities between Shirley and Anne Lister Al fresco flute playing Androgynous hares Head-banging in Gulliver's Travels The magic of Swanwick Writers' Summer School Fantastic short stories Hidden dragons Classical gods in Paris Platonic love A man without desire Light-filled fairy tales Narnian Christmas presents Quite a year!  I hope you will join me next year for whatever 2014 will bring.