I am 62,000 words into my vampire romance, Persephone Reborn, and I have hit a brick wall. Despite having a plan of over 10,000 words the story has come to a grinding halt and is just not working. I love my beginning, and I know how I want the story to end, but the middle … Continue reading Persevere or Park It?
Author: Nel Ashley
A Real Mummy Unwrapping
Margaret Murray Unwrapping the Mummy of Prince Khnumu Nekht published by The Daily Mirror 8th May 1908. Accessed via findmypast.com On Wednesday 6th May 1908, Margaret Murray performed a public unwrapping of the 4400-year-old mummy of Prince Khnumu Nekht. There were hundreds of spectators packed into the Chemical Theatre of Manchester University. All hoping to … Continue reading A Real Mummy Unwrapping
The Unwrapping Party
Picture: A Victorian Unwrapping of an Egyptian Mummy The invitation said 7:00pm sharp and she had no intention of being late. Margaret had never been to an unwrapping party before, but the ones she’d heard about sounded positively gruesome and wildly exciting. Her father wouldn’t approve of her going out alone, but he was away … Continue reading The Unwrapping Party
Ignoring Advice from Stephen King
On Writing by Stephen King isn't really a book of advice for writers, it's about one man's journey to becoming a writer. The advice is there, between the anecdotes and the difficulties he's encountered along the way. If there is one thing he believes is the best way to write a book, it's to get … Continue reading Ignoring Advice from Stephen King
Why Whitby?
Having finally read Bram Stoker's Dracula I have to say I'm a little disappointed and am left with several questions. The story is told through diary entries and letters and telegrams sent between characters. We start with Jonathan Harker's description of his journey to Transylvania, a business trip for the firm of solicitors he works … Continue reading Why Whitby?
The Ghosts on the Iron Bridge
I came across the following story recently whilst looking for interesting local ghost stories. Of course, the Iron Bridge at Sefton Park features in Black Feather, so I was even more interested in the story. In fact, it made me wonder if I had somehow tapped in to the haunting whilst writing the chapters on … Continue reading The Ghosts on the Iron Bridge
Gothic Beginnings
I was a solitary child, playing alone in the shadowed confines of the garden, gathering sycamore seeds and autumn leaves and chattering to Henrietta, the girl who wasn’t there. As an adult, I discovered there had been a real girl called Henrietta who had lived and worked as a domestic servant in the vicarage that … Continue reading Gothic Beginnings
How To Start A War.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand with his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, and their three children (from left), Prince Ernst von Hohenberg, Princess Sophie, and Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg, in 1910 We all know that the trigger for the start of the First World War was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but what might not be … Continue reading How To Start A War.
Sinking The Titanic, An Alternate History
There are many conspiracy theories surrounding the sinking of the Titanic, from insurance fraud to a mummy's curse, but none of them mention Malachi. It's generally accepted that one of the contributing factors to the tragedy was the lack of access to binoculars. Malachi's involvement in the sinking is based on the real-life figure of … Continue reading Sinking The Titanic, An Alternate History
Who Really Started The Fire of London?
image from http://www.prisonersofeternity.co.uk/inferno-the-great-fire-of-london/ 1666, a rather ominous year if you stop and think about it. It certainly turned out to be so for those unfortunate enough to be in London on the 2nd of September. At one o'clock in the morning a shady young man, hiding his face beneath a hood, let himself into the … Continue reading Who Really Started The Fire of London?
Nel Ashley - Indie Author 