Elizabeth Hopkinson's Hidden Grove

Back in October, I launched Margaret's Voyage .  Four copies of Silver Hands were sent out into the world, with instructions for those who received it to read, sign and pass it on.  But not before sharing a photo on Twitter, telling us where in the world they were.  At the same time, I encouraged readers around the world to share their pictures too. And the pictures have been coming in!  Here are some of the places Margaret has visited so far...     A very short voyage, within my home village of Clayton. Canton Berne, Switzerland. A voyage along England's south coast from Tavistock to Wallingford... ...and onwards to Ferndown. Sparkling in the German capital, Berlin. The university town of Cambridge, UK. And Kalasin, Thailand, from whence to New Zealand. I can't wait to see where Margaret will end up next.  So, readers all, post up your photos, and don't forget to use the hashtag, #MargaretsVoyage.

I would just like to take this opportunity to wish a very merry Christmas and a happy new year to all my readers, editors and writing friends. 2015 ends with a bumper crop of short story publications - most of which can be accessed through my Facebook page - with more to come in the new year.  #MargaretsVoyage is off to a good start, with copies of Silver Hand s winging their way to all corners of the globe.  (Defying geometry there!)  More to come on that front in the new year too.   And maybe 2016 will be the year the Angelio Trilogy sees the light?  The game is afoot!  

In Silver Hands , Margaret goes on a voyage that takes her from the English coast to the East Indies, feudal Japan and beyond the Edge of the Map.  To celebrate that, I'm launching a special giveaway that will send Silver Hands on a voyage of its own.  Who knows where it might end up? This is how it will work.  I have two copies of Silver Hands to give away.  I will send them to two randomly chosen followers, regardless of where they live in the world.  (If you live beyond the Edge of the Map, that could be tricky, so we'll limit it to non-magical countries! 😉)  It will then be your turn to give the book away to a person of your choice.  They will then give it away to a person of their choice.  And so on and so on.  The idea is to get these two copies of Silver Hands  on the longest voyages possible.   The book will arrive with a special message inside the front cover, welcoming you to Margaret's Voyage.  Read the book.  ...

Last night, my daughter and I watched Frozen for the first time.  (Yes, I know, we took a while getting around to it).  I don't intend to write a review of Frozen here (basically, I didn't think it was as good as Tangled ).  But I do mean to say that I found the heroines a bit annoying.  They were too loud for me, too independent, too feisty. I've never liked feisty heroines.  Right from reading Little Women as a child.  I know so many people wanted to be Jo, but I wished Beth could have been the writer (as well as a pianist).  Then she would have been like me, right down to the name.  Growing up, I identified with Marty South (Thomas Hardy's The Woodlanders) , following Giles about, too afraid to admit she loved him, Fanny Price (Jane Austen's Mansfield Park ), bossed about by everyone in the house with only Edmund treating her like a human being) and especially the Lady of Shalott, trapped in her tower, unable to cross the room.  (Yes, we'r...

Yesterday, I did an author event at Blackwell's Universty Bookshop, Leeds, talking about my historical fantasy novel, Silver Hands.  Seeing as only people who were available at 2pm in  Leeds could be there on the day, I thought I would post the answers to one or two Frequently Asked Questions about Silver Hands and writing in general. Q: How long did it take you to write Silver Hands? A: I got the first ideas for the story after reading The Handless Maiden in Grimm's Fairy Tales in 2007.  I started actually writing down the story in June 2009.  I finished editing and started submitting in 2011, and the book was published in 2013. Q: How do you discipline yourself/Do you have a writing routine? A: I always find this question hard to answer, as I think my feelings about writing are more devotion than discipline.  I would rather be writing than doing anything else, but sometimes it is hard to get motivated because of anxiety/depression.  The best advice I ever...

                             Hidden Grove Extra is launching its first ever competition.  For fan fiction.  Yes, some authors hate fan fiction, but I started my adult writing career with fanfics (which are still being read and enjoyed by new readers) and I happen to think fan fiction is rather wonderful.  What more natural response to a story you love can there be than to become totally immersed and creatively involved in the plot yourself? So, the challenge is: can you write a fan fiction based on Silver Hands?  It can be any length, from a simple oneshot to an epic with chapters, but you only have 2 months to do it, and it must be posted on a reputable fan fiction site, such as fanfiction.net.  Share the link in the comments box below, and I will choose a winner after 31st October.  The winner will receive a signed, limited edition postcard featuring my flash fiction, "Laputa Sends...

                                       5th August is an important date for Gulliver's Travels fans.  It is the date on which Gulliver embarks on his third voyage, aboard the good ship Hopewell.   This journey will take him to the flying island of Laputa, the Academy of Lagado, Luggnagg (home of the Struldbrugs), the necromancer's island of Glubbdubdrib, and the only real-life place Gulliver ever visits: Japan. I made use of this in Silver Hands , having Margaret embark on the same ship on the same day in chapter four, "The Sailing of the Hopewell ".  The name of the ship, Captain William Robinson and any dates I mention are all straight from Swift.  He was having a laugh at the expense of travellers's tales (and making some satirical points about matters closer to home) but I tried to re-imagine the Hopewell as a real ship in the context of the times, a context of the ...

Just recently, I read Flame of Sevenwaters by my all-time favourite author, Juliet Marillier .  Juliet is the writer I look up to most in my own work.  She has been very helpful with Silver Hands , giving it a great review on the Top Hat Books site .  When Silver Hands came out, I sent her a copy and she sent me a lovely card, promising to read it.  So it was strange to think that we might both be reading each other's works at the same time, especially as both were about a girl without the use of her hands. This wasn't deliberate.  Although I am a big fan of Juliet, and Silver Hands is in some ways inspired by her writing, I didn't know she was also going to be writing about a handless maiden.  It's interesting to make some comparisons. (Warning: possibly spoilers).  Juliet's Maeve hasn't lost her hands completely, but has had them burned in a fire as a child, so they are scarred and immobile.  She faces some of the same challenges as Marg...

Last time, I told you about my trip to Japan in 2011, and some of the sites which influenced Silver Hands.   Today, I will complete the tour and look at three more historic Japanese sites with Silver Hands connections. I'd like to start with Seison-kaku, a villa in Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa.  The garden itself is a splendid traditional garden, with tea-houses, pines, plum groves and cherry trees.  But the villa is particularly interesting because it was built for a woman: Shinryu-in, widow of Maeda Narinaga.  It is fascinating to look at the different rooms, which are named after the paintings on their skirting boards (tortoise room, butterfly room etc.), to stand in the grand reception room (pictured above) and imagine life as a Japanese noblewoman in days gone by. This is the future Taro pictures for Margaret. Last time, I spoke about Nijo Castle in Kyoto, which houses a magnificent set of mansion buildings.  For those of you familiar with Lian Hea...

Last time, I promised you a tour of historical sites in Japan that relate to my research when writing my historical fantasy novel, Silver Hands.  However, when I looked at my scapbook of my trip to Japan with Oku Japan (formerly Oxalis Holidays)  in 2011, I realised there's far too much to fit into one blog.  So I'm dividing it into two parts.  This is the first. The first place I'd like to mention is Kiyosumi Gardens in Tokyo.  It was one of the first places I visited in Japan and I instantly felt, "This is Taro's garden!"  There was even a man in a kimono sitting on the veranda to the tea house you can see in the picture.  The garden was originally part of the residence of Edo period business magnate , Kinokuniya Bunzaemon, and later (1716-1736) part of the Edo residence of the Lord of Sekiyado castle.  So extremely appropriate for Silver Hands.  I can definitely picture Margaret and Taro walking here. Another site is Matsumo...

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!

Recently, I signed up to receive the first of the Gray Fox Epistles from Sylvia V Linstead, a writer from California.  If you have the money to try this, I thoroughly recommend it.  Every month, Sylvia retells a classic folktale in the context of her native California (March was the Children of Lir and April will be Tsarevna Frog).  She then posts them out to her subscribers, along with beautiful artwork, craft and pieces of nature.  I was especially happy to receive needles of a Redwood tree - not something I am ever likely to see in Yorkshire.  Have a look at Sylvia's blog if you would like to know more.  You can even see behind-the-scenes pictures of how she puts it all together. Actually, I think handcrafts and writing make wonderful partners.  That's why I will be having the launch for my novel, Silver Hands at the wonderful Hand Made in Bradford , which celebrates its first anniversary today.  This has been a wonderful initiative for my...

A ship's surgeon with a taste for adventure Born: Nottinghamshire, around 1670.  Presently around 37 years of age. Family: a wife and and several children. Occupation: ship's surgeon. Skills: is a skilled and modern physician, not just a simple surgeon.  Also has the ability to take charge of a ship, if needs be.  Skilled in languages, observational drawing, and the rigorous application of logic. Interests: Dr Lemuel is a man of science and learning, who keeps detailed records of his journeys and discoveries.  He collects curiosities, some of which are very unusual indeed!  There is an air of mystery about him and his voyages, which seem fated to take him in strange directions. An enigmatic figure, Dr Lemuel is nevertheless kind and fair, and very much respected by his fellow sailors.  He acts as a mentor figure towards Margaret when she is in need. Silver Hands - coming 26th April 2013 from Top Hat Books

A Japanese noble with a generous spirit Born: Edo (?) around the year 1688.  Presently 19 years old and living half the year in his ancestral home of Tokushiro, the other half in Edo. Family: father (the previous Lord Shimatani) is deceased.  Mother and younger sister, O-matsu, are hostages in Edo.  Elder sister is married to another noble.  Also has uncles and several cousins with whom he frequently associates. Occupation: feudal lord. Skills: horsemanship, falconry, swordsmanship, poetry, calligraphy.   Interests: He is a patron of the arts and keeps several artists employed in his home.  Also interested in making his estate more productive.  Enjoys a game of go .  Takes an active interest in the design of his gardens. He can seem distant and formal because of his position, but is in fact a warm and kindhearted person who wants to do the best for all those in his care.  He has natural authority and is fair and competent in running hi...

A mysterious Dutch gentleman Born: Amsterdam, date unknown.  Appears around 25 years of age. Family: father (deceased) a member of the Gentlemen Seventeen (directors of the Dutch East India Company, others unknown. Occupation: gentleman merchant. Skills: manipulating others. Interests: experimentation involving a mysterious lodestone; a growing obsession with Margaret Rosewood. Van Guelder appears courteous and charming - and is extremely handsome - but there is also a hint of coldness about him.  His lack of any bodily scent and seeming ability to be in two places at once suggest that he is not quite what he seems. Silver Hands - coming 26 April 2013 from Top Hat Books

A master-mariner's daughter, looking for her place in the world Born in Hollyport, a shipping town on the English coast, sometime in the winter of 1690.  Presently 16 years old. Family: father, Isaac Rosewood, a master-mariner and ship owner.  Two younger sisters, Susanna (15) and Martha (10).  Mother, Mary Rosewood, is deceased. Current occupation: managing her father's household and business accounts. Skills: arithmetic, languages. Interests: reading, learning new things. An dutiful daughter, who has had to take on her mother's role at home.  Even though she's spent all her life surrounded by ships and sailors, she's never thought of herself as a person to travel or have adventures.  She is quite shy and reserved, but can argue with her sisters. She hates to be intimidated and will resist if forced into something.  Even though she is normally obedient, she will disobey if she feels threatened.

I don't yet know what the front cover for my forthcoming novel, Silver Hands will be like, but I'd like to talk you through the image I created myself for the Silver Hands page of my Hidden Grove website. There are three images blended together in there.  (Can you spot them?)  The first is a drawing of the novel's main character, Margaret Rosewood.  (More of her in future blogs).  I drew that myself with pencil, pen and oil pastels.  I had a bit of help, copying the overall face shape from Miaka in the manga Fushigi Yugi, although I think she looks a bit like me as well.  (And a bit like Belle in Disney's version of Beauty & the Beast !  Not intentional.  Although an interesting coincidence). The other two images are of places I went to research the story of Silver Hands.  One is of the frigate, the Grand Turk , when it was harboured in Whitby.  It was built for the TV series Hornblower (1998-2003), in which it featu...