I’ll be speaking at the following events in 2013:
Weald and Downland Museum - Medicine and Mortality day, Sussex - Sun 22 Sep, informal talk about The Knot at lunchtime. Conference speakers include Ian Mortimer: The Time Traveller’s Guide to Fatal Illnesses 1348-1798, and Owen Davies: Magic, Medicine and Body Parts in European Traditions 1700-1900.
Wells Festival of Literature, Somerset – Tue 15 Oct, 12.30, Vicars’ Hall.
Hello Jane,
I was at the Leeds Big Bookend last weekend and came along to the panel discussion on Saturday. I enjoyed the hour very much and at the end bought your book ‘The Book of Fires’. I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying it. The style is so easy but vividly paints the pictures in my head, and the choice of pyrotechnics is very unusual. I really want Agnes to be able to survive with dignity, and am starting to feel confident, as I read the book, that she will.
Thank you.
Pat Harland
Hi Pat,
Really kind of you to get in touch. I had such a good time at that event, you were a great audience and I loved being in Leeds. Thank you for buying The Book of Fires, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it – I did want to try to make it a visual, sensory kind of read. I won’t give away what Agnes’s fate will be – you’ll soon find out!
With warm wishes,
Jane
Having read ‘The book of Fires ‘ twice and used extracts from it teaching yr 6 literacy, I could not wait to receive’theKnot’ for Christmas. I am utterly intrigued by the style; the ease of how it is to read , yet the complexity of the subject. Just how did you research the botany for this? I find myself being transported to Lytes Carey and the sixteenth century. It is a most compelling read and totally unique. I am fascinated by it .
Hi Ruth,
How lovely that you are enjoying your Christmas present, such a nice thought. Am delighted that you like the style of The Knot – I can’t really say that I made conscious decisions about the language, it was more that the material suggested the way. I researched for the book for quite a while (and have been fascinated by herbs since a teenager) before starting to write the novel. My research was hands-on, i.e. in the field with notebooks, finding out about modern herbal practice, growing unusual varieties, and historical – poring over everything I could about 16th-century herbals, looking at examples in the British Library, piecing together what’s left to us of the life of Henry Lyte. I was surprised by how often information in the old herbals corresponds with what is known to be efficacious today. (Your post makes me think I should update my site to include a bit about the history of herbals and natural science…) Am also delighted to hear that you liked the Book of Fires, and especially that you use snippets of it for teaching. You’re very kind to get in touch, thank you so much!
Thank you so much for writing straight back. I too have a herb patch and look out for unusual ones. Took a few mins today to go out and tidy it! Inspired to add more to it now ! The idea of using book of fires in literacy came to me as the class topic was ‘ the firework makers daughter ‘ by Philip Pullman . It led to lots of description about fireworks and the children wrote reports of a firework display. To increase their vocab I read a few snippets of the display Agnes saw. I briefly outlined the story background and the children loved it. Some of the best writing captured the feel of seeing fireworks for the first time. Ruth
Dear Jane,
Just finished “The Book of Fires” – I fell in love from the 1st page and did not want it to end!! This is by far the best book I have read in a long time!! Thank you for writing it for us – I have ordered The Knot and know it will be wonderful,
Susan
Thank you very much Susan – I’m really delighted that you liked The Book of Fires, and hope you enjoy The Knot too. Such a lovely thing to hear on a cold February evening! Very best wishes to you.
Hi Jane
It’s me! I’m reading the Knott and throroughly enjoying it – it feels very different to The Book of Fires, which I recently re-read. The story has worked it’s way under my skin and I’m regularly dreaming of plants and flowers. I wonder what my Dad would have made of that?!
Hester is dead chuffed that her name appears in the Knott too (she has also recently finished reading Sean’s Bee Journal – we are fans).
Hope all is well with you and the family. Hope to catch up with you all this year.
Much love
Debs
Hi Deb,
How incredibly nice to hear from you – and that you’re enjoying the Knot, thank you. I hope you are all very well over there. Glad to have your email address – will email rightaway! – Jane xx