From Fact to Fiction

I have always been passionate about historical fiction, even though for many years as a writer in England where I was born and educated and in Canada where I now live, I have written mostly non-fiction, true crime, and books on social issues. All my necessary research for those topics has provided me with a good foundation for delving into historical fiction in more recent years.

I also am passionate about reading so I am always on the search for new historical fiction writers, having read and enjoyed most of the books by Philippa Gregory, Rosamund Pilcher, Edward Rutherford, Hilary Mantel, M.M. Kaye, Margaret Mitchell, Ken Follett and Colleen McCullough—to name just a few. And of course, I have not neglected the classics by Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Bronte.

I was delighted, therefore, to recently discover books by another historical fiction writer, U.K. author Judith Arnopp, and I soon became hooked on her Tudor and Beaufort series. Henry VIII was always my favourite character in school and Judith manages to show her readers many new sides to his very complex character. Fascinating! I was thrilled when she asked me to be a guest on her blog.

I grew up in England and for a few years we lived in an 18^th century farmhouse. I loved all the nooks and crannies of that old house that we discovered had once also been a bakery. Maybe someone had died eating the homemade bread because we also had a resident ghost. At one time or another, my parents, my older sister, and I had all been aware of his/her presence. I think those were the years when I became hooked on history and the seeds of many later stories I would write were born.

I have currently been working on a four-book historical fiction series entitled The McBride Chronicles. The first three books – Providence, Destiny, and Legacy – are already released. I’m currently working on Book 4 – Tomorrow. The series starts in the 1840s in England and Scotland and travels to the New World where my two main characters, Jane Hopkins (an orphan) and Gideon McBride (the son of a poor fisherman in Scotland) finally meet in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. and start a family dynasty. The future books about their descendants take the story from the 1870s to present day.

If you decide to read The McBride Chronicles, best to begin with Providence and I hope you will enjoy the story enough to leave a review. All the books can be found on my website: www.valeriegreenauthor.com which will connect to my publishers’ website www.hancockhousepublishers.com where the books can also be purchased.

The books, both paperback and kindle, are available on Amazon, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X). Check me out at #greenonhistory there too.

 I always love to hear from readers at hello@valeriegreen.com

Thank you, Judith, for the opportunity to be here today on your blog. So much fun to talk to people in the United Kingdom. Now I look forward to having you on my blog as a ‘visiting author’ soon. I’m sure readers in Canada would love to hear more about your books and your life.