What lay behind the apparently radical shift in men’s fashions during the late 18 th century? And what can the invention of a ‘masculine’ style that still dominates menswear tell us about the roles played by men, and by women, in a rapidly changing Britain? The clothes we wear are more than fashion choices. They tell other people how we want them to think about us and, whether we like it or not, they signify our place in society. Our clothes reflect social status as well a

When fiction overlaps with real life, things can get scary... ‘In wartime,’ Winston Churchill said, ‘the truth is so precious she should always be attended by a bodyguard of lies.’ This was Churchill’s justification for his many deceptions during the second world war, but his words might also suggest how writers can approach the portrayal of historical figures in fiction. Because fiction is the invention of a writer’s imagination. It might even be regarded as a ‘lie.’ And

Long-ago lives in a familiar landscape can provide fiction writers with a portal into the past. In an article that first appeared in Writing Magazine , Carolyn Kirby cosiders how best to evoke a sense of place. Archie Parkhouse with ivy for sheep 1975 JAMES RAVILIOUS @Beaford Photographic Archive An old man lives at the bottom of my garden. His name is Robert Barkus, or Bakehouse, or Bagust. Nobody is quite sure. But I often sense him around when I’m gardening, and I’ve found

Bonnie Prince Charlie’s reckless bid to capture the British throne is usually thought of as part of Scottish history but while researching my new novel Ravenglass , I was surprised to find out what a big part Cumbria played in this 1745 rebellion often known as the ‘’Forty-five.’ As soon as I started writing my story of fluidity and forbidden love told by Kit Ravenglass, the fictional son of a Whitehaven slave-ship owner, I knew that the ‘Forty-five would play a dramatic part