What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with our favourite Victorian lovers- brooding Mr. Thornton and passionate Miss Hale?
Here’s a beautiful new short story by the talented Nicole Clarkston to make our romantic hearts beat a little faster on this very special day.
Enjoy!
P.S: Thanks to the author for the gift and to More Agreeably Engaged for sharing it on her blog.
A little of both, although I think I veer closer to flying by the seat of my pants. With Clean Break I had a definite idea of where I wanted to start and finish, but how I’d get there was still a mystery when I started writing. The characters didn’t really come to life in my head until I had them on the page, talking and moving and thinking, making mistakes and learning from them. And some directions I initially took the story didn’t work, so I had to rethink my approach and try again.Posted in Interviews
Tagged Abby Vegas, Lucas North, Richard Armitage, Spooks, Writing Process
What type of environment do you need to write?
I don’t know if there is such a thing as an easy, quick story! I’m going to say that as a short story writer I do like the snapshot of a life it offers and the way it makes you use every word to the greatest effect. On the other hand, there’s something satisfying in drawing all the different threads of a complicated plot together … Sorry, I can’t decide!
The Mysterious Miss Mayhew appears courtesy of Hazel Osmond
Posted in Interviews
Tagged Hazel Osmond, North & South, Richard Armitage, Writing Process
Here’s a new instalment of our Writing Process Series to inaugurate our 2016 posts. This time we get some insight into the matter from Charlotte Hawkins, the published author of a well-known Gisborne trilogy.
I plan everything as it comes to me. My “Muse” dictates everything, so I rarely have a set path to follow.
Do you prefer writing easy, quick stories or long, layered stories?
Layered stories, for sure. When a story comes into my head, there are so many images and details floating around in my brain that I can’t contain them all in a short story. I just have too much to say.
Which do you find easier to write: dialogue or description or are the equally hard/easy?
I think I’m much better at writing dialogue. It’s not that I dislike writing description. I love it just as much. But I find that the voices of the characters speak to me in my head. They’re alive and say exactly what they need to. I just write it down.
Is there anything that you won’t write or feel uncomfortable writing?
I don’t think I would ever write mysteries or thrillers. I have little interest in the darker topics those kinds of stories sometimes take. I feel there’s too much darkness in the world already.
What do you do to cure writer’s block?
I wish I had a real cure. Some writer’s have it, but I don’t. I just have to wait it out.
What advice can you give to new writers who might be scared to post their stories?
Find a good beta, preferably a fellow writer. Keep your work between the two of you until you feel comfortable sharing. Then, move on to writing groups. You’ll most likely find that your fellow writers are your best cheering section and your greatest sources of advice. After all, they’re in the same boat as you.
What is your favorite book and why?
Jane Eyre, bar none. I’ve never felt such a spiritual connection to another story.
Posted in Book Recommendations, Interviews
Tagged Charlotte Hawkins, Guy of Gisborne, Robin Hood, Writing Process
“Pride and Prejudice” is a great example of people not changing exactly, but overcoming their flaws. I believe the best relationships make both parties better than they are alone, and P&P is a great example of that with added (rather cutting) insights into the social mores of the day.
We welcome the weekend with the third instalment in our Creative Process series with an interview featuring another published author, Emma Marlow.
What type of environment do you need to write?
Emma Marlow
I prefer to write when I’m alone – that’s when I work best – but I often have to write at the kitchen table whilst my daughter covers everything in hummus. I can’t write if someone’s got music or the TV on. If my husband wants to watch TV, I have to relocate to a different part of the house.
How do your ideas come to you? Do you always write them or do you let them disappear?
Ideas usually just come to me. I tend to get one or two key “scenes” which just pop into my mind. I let the image play on repeat and then slowly flesh it out a bit until it’s something I can’t forget. I never write an idea down – even if I get an idea just after I’ve started on a new project, and it’s therefore something I won’t be able to work on for months. I find writing it down tends to sap the life out of it, and I lose my passion for the idea. So far – touch wood! – I’ve never forgotten an idea.
Do you plan a story from the beginning to end or start with an idea and let the chapters come to you as they do?
I never plan a story; I just have those one or two key scenes as landmarks. I just start writing and meander along until I get to that scene I’ve known that I wanted to write. Sometimes the scene has to change a little because of how I’ve written the story, but the premise is always the same. I never know how a story is going to end when I start writing it. I like the ending to surprise myself. I like it to naturally unfurl, rather than trying to make my writing fit something I’ve pre-planned.
Do you prefer writing easy, quick stories or long, layered stories?
I’m not keen on stories much below 90k words because I tend to feel that they’re under-developed. That said, I’m not the most concise writer ever, so other people could probably write my stories much more succinctly. No matter the length of the story, I like to always have something that’s a bit on an ensemble piece. I like to layer my stories so that there are little sub-plots, and not just the main storyline of the protagonist.
Is there anything that you won’t write or feel uncomfortable 
writing?
I’d give anything a try. So far I’ve tried my hand at historical fiction, romance, chick lit, mystery/crime thrillers, sci-fi, drama and a bit of erotica. I tend to prefer writing about things that are real, past or present, so fantasy, sci-fi, monsters or talking animals… I don’t really enjoy that so much.
What do you do to cure writer’s block?
In the first instance, I quiz my husband. We are completely different creatures, so he always looks at plots etc. from an entirely different perspective. He’s helped me out a few times, and managed to get me back on track. If talking it through doesn’t solve the problem, I set the story aside, and start a new project. The story will either come or it won’t, and if I persevere when it’s just not coming to me, I’ll end up with something I’m unhappy with. It means a few stories which have been abandoned about about 90k words, but some of them I intend to come back to one day.
What advice can you give to new writers who might be scared to post their stories?
Read all the time. I think the more you read, the better you’ll be at writing. If you read other people’s work – self-published or otherwise – and think that your writing is just as good, why shouldn’t you share it with people? If you’re anxious about how your writing will be received, pick a pen name. You don’t even have to tell your friends or family that you’re writing. When you can self publish eBooks, post on writer’s forums and the likes of wattpad, you have a certain anonymity which can take away the fear for a new writer. If you do decide to share your stories, don’t get too hung up on critical feedback; you can’t please everyone.
What is your favourite book and why?
For me, the best books are those I read as a teenager; books which have left a lasting impression more than a decade later: North and South, Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo, Bridget Jones’ Diary. Each story was immersive and emotionally engaging. I feel a fierce loyalty to those books and could read them time and again. The best thing I’ve read recently is probably Prue Batten’s Gisborne Saga; the history, the research, the intrigue – it’s incredible!
Get her novels from AmazonUK and AmazonUS
Sample her work, including her North & South-inspired fic “Shadow in the North” on Wattpad.
Posted in Interviews
Tagged Elizabeth Gaskell, Emma Marlow, North & South, Writing Process
When Trudy and Julia invited me to join their blog last April, I was thrilled about the opportunity to collaborate on an endeavour that seeks to celebrate creativity within Richard’s fandom and acknowledge with a grateful nod the man whose wonderful characters have been an inspiring muse to budding and experienced authors alike.
Being a writer myself, I’ve always been interested in the process of creation and how it’s approached by my fellow authors. Although there are dozens of manuals in the market with tips and recipes to write a novel, there’s nothing like going to the source, the novelists themselves, to unveil the magic behind the stories and characters that invite us to dream, feel and think.
A few years ago, while writing for another fandom, I was asked some really interesting questions on my writing process, and they somehow made their way into my introductory interview for Armitage Authors. In the end, Trudy and I agreed on leaving them out and planned instead several articles to explore the topic with a few guest authors.
So, here we are at last, ready to share with you the first November instalment in a series of interviews devoted to published writers who’ve found inspiration in Richard’s work. I could write a long platitude about the lady that’s opening this series, but I’d rather leave her own words to speak for themselves.
Our gratitude to Ms. Prue Batten for granting our request at such short notice and being so generous with her time, and to Mindy, who came up with these questions on Naughty-Seduction.net once upon a time.
Ms.Prue Batten
What type of environment do you need to write?
Just peace and quiet. I work in two separate places (city and coast) so have a little laptop that comes with me wherever I go. The amount of research I have to carry is a bit of an issue though and because I have neck issues, I also carry a wifi-keyboard and mouse so that I can set up a standing station when I need to.
How do your ideas come to you? Do you always write them or do you let them disappear?
Ideas come anytime, anywhere – often in the bath! And frequently, just before I go to sleep. I have a notebook and always try to record the idea before it becomes lost in the mists of time. One never knows when it will be handy.
Do you plan a story from the beginning to end or start with an idea and let the chapters come to you as they do?
I start with an idea and once the first couple of hundred words are written, I sit and create character profiles. After writing eight novels, I realize my characters tell me what they think should happen and I’m just a cipher. There is, however, a loose plan (perhaps one A4 page) which details the story outline, but it’s fairly flexible.
Do you prefer writing easy, quick stories or long, layered stories?
I prefer to write layered novels from between 90-110,000 words. It’s strange how the story arcs itself into exactly that amount of words without any deliberate effort on my part. However, I’m sometimes commissioned to write little short stories for a miniature book press and it’s like a quick shot of caffeine and really good practice in getting an idea across with the minimum of fuss!
Which do you find easier to write: dialogue or description or are they equally hard/easy?
I love both. When I write dialogue, it feels to me as if the characters are right by my side. They say what they want to say.
As for description, I adore it. It is the colour on a black and white etching. I have an affection for the late Rosamunde Pilcher’s work and she describes things from the soul. Gorgeous!
Is there anything that you won’t write or feel uncomfortable writing? 
I have a notoriously weak stomach and hate writing violent scenes. The difficulty is that my timeframe, the twelfth century, was indeed a violent era and to exclude it from a story would so wrong and would make the storyline one-dimensional.
What do you do to cure writer’s block?
To be honest, I’ve never really had what one would call writer’s block. I write all the time, no matter how I feel. For me, it’s a kind of blessed escape, like embroidery or walking on the beach. Maybe that’s the secret. Make it a part of your life.
What advice can you give to new writers who might be scared to post their stories?
I think the main thing is to have someone read the story first and give a totally unbiased opinion. If they say it needs work, don’t be offended. Ask them in what way and then go away and work on improvement. No story should ever be posted without the most basic requisite groundwork.
Then have a good hard edit. That might be from a capable friend, or you might pay for the service. It honestly does make a difference and it also respects the reader whom you hope will read your story.
It might seem a lot to do, when all you want is to post a story, but we have all been there and it was advice given to me before I published and I honestly did heed it. I wrote a trilogy when I first decided to write seriously and it sits in the office cupboard and will never see the light of day. I worked with a London consultancy on it for an extended period and it was truly my training ground. Lots of editorial reports and advice and I learned so much.
Just remember that you birthed your story and like giving birth to a child, you owe the story the best of care.
The only other thing I would say is never be impatient. Just take your time.
What is your favourite book and why?
I have a favourite author and I love all her work. She is the late Dorothy Dunnett and wrote fourteen historical fictions that are simply breathtaking. She is my icon for her wordage, her astonishing breadth of research and knowledge, her storylines and her stupendous imagination.
Visit Prue’s Official Website: http://pruebatten.com/
Get “The Gisborne Saga” and/or any of her works from Amazon.com and AmazonUK.
In Einstein’s equation, time is a river. It speeds up, meanders, and slows down. The new wrinkle is that it can have whirlpools and fork into two rivers. So, if 
the river of time can be bent into a pretzel, create whirlpools and fork into two rivers, then time travel cannot be ruled out.
Michio Kaku
A few weeks ago, wholly immersed in the heartbreaking and horrific journey of Richard’s latest creation for the small screen, I couldn’t help but wish I could conjure up H.G.Wells’ proverbial time machine to have grown-up Dolarhyde meet Reba before there was no turning back or to provide baby Francis with the loving and nurting family he was denied.
Let’s face it, how many times during our exploration of Mr. Armitage’s body of work have we asked ourselves “What if?” or yearned to rewrite painful, implausible, sloppy or out-of-character storylines?
Life might not give us a chance to rewrite the past, but if we let ourselves believe, we can pour ourselves a cuppa, sit back and enjoy a good story in which our favourite character gets the lady of his dreams, takes a different path and lives to see the final credits roll.
To get you started, I have put together a list of stories featuring some of Richard’s best-loved creations- and one that is seldom written about. There are both time-travelling journeys and plots where past and present juxtapose and characters from different shows cross paths.
Take your pick and let yourself be led to the fourth dimension by some of our fandom’s most creative authors.
Kleindog’s “How Far the World Will Bend”
After having her fortune told by a gypsy, Meg Armstrong moves through a mirror from 1920s England to 1850 Milton–and finds out she has stepped into the shoes of Margaret Hale. She has been sent back in time with a mission to fulfill–to save John Thornton’s life. But will she be able to fulfill her mission without losing her heart?
Longhairedtoad’s “Once Upon a Time”
Based on the classic novel North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell, this modern story of John and Margaret takes them on a magical adventure filled with intrique, suspense, and romance.
John Thornton spends all his waking hours working in the family business. In his leisure time, he hunts for antique books. When one literally falls on him, he is shocked to find the ancient looking text is written about him.
Margaret Hale has no time for love. Having started a bakery with her best friend Tara, she needs to concentrate fully on that venture for now. But at her cousin’s wedding reception, a stranger approaches and explains he is the man she will marry in three months time.
Julia Daniels’ “Master of Her Heart: A Time-Twisted Tale of North & South”
Modern day Margaret Bryce is in a jam. Her graduate dissertation is due in mere weeks, and despite the enormous help her adviser, J. Whitman Bell has provided, there’s something missing from her paper. Dr. Bell decides the best option is for her to travel back in time to a Victorian mill town, so she can better understand the struggles–both economic and personal–people of that era faced. She agrees to his insane scheme, knowing it’s only a joke, a way for her to dig deeper within herself to find the answers. Only, when she wakes up in Milton, and finds the year to be 1851, she knows she’s in trouble…
theearth’s “What if? Philip Durrant”
Philip looked around. He found himself on the bed in the shabby guesthouse from yesterday’s dream. He could feel his body, he could feel his legs! The same old carpet he remembered from back then, faded and wrinkly. Even the stain from the glass of red whine he had knocked over a day before. No, not a day before. In truth he was sitting in his wheelchair in the library of his house a few years later, reading a book. He’d wake up later, but wake up from what? What was that?
Therapne’s “The Tale of the Hologram”
A student takes a step too far when she plays with her friend’s ‘hologram’ and finds herself thrown into a strange medieval world. But that experience is nothing compared to the problems she encounters when she escapes the ‘hologram’s’ clutches and has to face the music with the authorities.
VelocityGirl1980’s “A Matter of Life and Death”
Lucas North’s life is unraveling fast and the walls are closing in. Alone and cornered, his flashbacks take on a new intensity, including new visions of a strange time gone by. But he has no time to work out what they mean. He plunges to his end from the Enver Tower, but ends up somewhere else. Full summary inside. Not entirely serious. Mostly RH fic.
VelocityGirl1980’s “A Fate Worse than Death”
A life taken in violence is like a shout in the mountains: it leaves an echo. A life left un-lived cannot pass on in peace, especially when a destiny is as important as Marian Knighton’s. Murdered by a man who would rather see her dead than with the one she truly loves, something somewhere blocks her passage to the dead, and she wakes up somewhere far away.
Set in the Charente valley in France right after the end of Series 8 of Spooks.
(Present Day) Marian Knighton sat bolt upright in her bed, panting for breath. Her emerald green eyes were wide with fear and exhilaration. She was soaked with sweat and shaking in reaction to the dream. It had happened again – he haunted her dreams and she had no idea who he was…
“Hello…” a deep husky voice broke the silence, making Marian jump. She turned at the sound and nearly dropped to the ground in shock. Standing in the doorway was the Domaine’s house guest – Marian stared into the stunningly beautiful face and piercing blue eyes of the black knight of her dream.
A/N: The first two stories mentioned on this list are also published novels.
Nancy Klein’s “How Far the World will Bend”
M.Liza Marte’s “More than Words”
Please, feel free to leave your own recommendations in the comments.
I’d like to start my first post by expressing my gratitute to both Trudy and Jazzbaby for inviting me to join them in this project. I’m truly honoured to be able to share in our love for the talented and beautiful human being that is Mr Armitage- our Muse and inspiration in more ways than one.
I’ve spent the last few weeks browsing my archives in search of a few stories that I thought would be the perfect vehicle to celebrate Richard’s latest Medieval project- “Pilgrimage”, which has just wrapped up. All of them have Sir Guy of Gisborne as the protagonist and feature our favourite Black Knight in dealings with monks or considering a future in the Church.
From the moment Richard announced he was going to take part in this Irish project during that interview he granted Omelette at Comic Con Experience’s (Saõ Paolo, Brazil), the fandom started speculating about his future role. Would he play a knight or a monk? Although most people seemed to be convinced he’d don a robe, my bet was on him playing a knight once again- after all, there was some pretty reliable evidence to tip the scales in that direction and, eventually, I was proven right.
Ultimately, it was fun to spend several months discussing the project, researching about religious orders in the Middle Ages and seeing our fandoms’ creative minds at work.
This post is meant to have us immerse ourselves in the world Richard’s been living in for the past month and also to reminisce about a character who, despite the years that have elapsed, is still firmly entrenched in our hearts.
Enjoy!
P.S.: I’ve tried to keep the descriptions to a minimum to avoid spoilers.
medieval_scribe’s “To Cozen Fortune”: Pre-canon. Guy and Isabella in exile find refuge in a French monastery. Guy’s offered a place as a postulant. Is religious life his true destiny?
http://archiveofourown.org/works/266230
Therapne’s “The Apothecary’s Daughter”: In which Guy considers taking holy orders.
http://armitagearmy.proboards.com/thread/15401/apothecarys-daughter-new-guy-story
http://armitagearmy.proboards.com/thread/15402/apothecarys-daughter-chapter-1
Jayarjay’s “And from the Darkness Comes the Light that Heals” (still a WIP but beautifully written and well-worth the read): Post-series 2. Guy returns to the Holy Land intent on paying his dues by serving his fellowmen, but a surprise is awaiting him.
http://www.dreamerfiction.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=212&t=6012
hjcrane’s “Guy Meets his Match”: Post-Series 1. Jilted by Lady Marian, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, Guy accepts taking part in Vasey’s latest scheme. Will it be his making or final undoing?
http://c19.proboards.com/thread/31713/guy-meets-match-chapters-1
Marianne aka theearth’s “Illusions”: Late Series 2. Guy opens his eyes to the truth and makes a life-changing decision.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4165396/1/Illusions
Khandy’s “Black Knight’s Deception”: Appearances are sometimes deceptive, and Nottingham’s about to be shaken by the best-kept secret in town.
http://c19.proboards.com/thread/36463/black-knights-deception-ch1?page=1
velocityGirl1980’s “Everything but the Girl”: Everything’s a choice and Guy of Gisborne knows that as well as Robin Hood. What happens then when Guy chooses to act against the Sheriff to save Marian from the Earl of Winchester after all? Set in Series II- Episode 6 (up to a point), but then completely AU. [This fic made it to the list because there’s a good portion involving Guy & Marian in dealings with monks.]
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9169952/1/Everything-But-The-Girl
Jayarjay ‘s “Three Hearts”: Post-Series III. Guy’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land to bring two hearts together and set his to rest.
http://www.dreamerfiction.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=238
EndlessBlue’s “Bound Home”: Post-Series III. A beautifully-written fanfic with an unusual pairing on their own private pilgrimage.
Posted in Fic Recommendations
Tagged EndlessBlue, Fan fiction, Guy of Gisborne, hjcrane, Jayarjay, Khandy, medieval_scribe, Middle Ages, Pilgrimage, Robin Hood, theearth, Therapne, velocityGirl1980
The Armitage Authors Network 