I think there’s always something special about a debut novel: it’s usually the culmination of a long, long period of work, hair-tearing, sleepless nights, failures, disappointments… and, waiting in the wings, the desire to show who you are as a writer. What makes...

Janice Hallett explores the 5 things that inspired The Appeal

When I decided to write a historical novel five years ago, as a break from my intense career up to that point as a corporate lawyer, my reasoning was simple: I liked books, I liked history, and I liked research and writing—so, why not?

In no particular order, I’d like to add! 1). Daphne du Maurier For me, it’s not always necessarily how ‘well’ a writer writes that captures my imagination or love for them but how their words make me feel. My lovely mum, Jennie, is a voracious reader and passed her...

Death on a Winter’s Day is a historical murder mystery set in Scotland in the 1920s. And, no surprise, its main influences are all things Scottish.

I’m lucky to be able to write most anywhere, and under plenty of less-than-ideal conditions (i.e. the New York City subway). But I prefer to listen to music when I’m working, as it fuels my creativity and inspires me.