Sarah Burton

Orphaned young, H is sent to live with her wealthy and doting aunt in London. London is good to her, and H's life is a happy one until her lecherous cousin Roger robs her of her innocence, and the plague arrives to take from her the city and the people she loves. H is cast out, friendless, pregnant and destitute into the rapidly emptying streets of London under quarantine. When the plague finally lifts, and without a home or family to return to, H falls into the care and employment of Mother Cresswell, an infamous Clerkenwell bawd. It is under her watch that H endeavors to make a new kind of life for herself, and to use all the tools at her disposal to ensure that she never falls into poverty again. H will face a villain out for revenge, find love in the most unexpected places, and overcome a betrayal that she never could have foreseen. Weathering it all, she will charm or scheme her way to the life of freedom and autonomy that she longs for.

The Strange Adventures of H

Jem Poster

Have you ever wanted to write a novel or short story but didn't know where to start? If so, this is the book for you. It's the book for anyone, in fact, who wants to write to their full potential. Practical and jargon-free, rejecting prescriptive templates and formulae, it's a storehouse of ideas and advice on a range of relevant subjects, from boosting self-motivation and confidence to approaching agents and publishers. Drawing on the authors' extensive experience as successful writers and inspiring teachers, it will guide you through such essentials as the interplay of memory and imagination; plotting your story; the creation of convincing characters; the uses of description; the pleasures and pitfalls of research; and the editing process. The book's primary aim is simple: to help its readers to become better writers.

A Handbook for Fiction Writers

The Book You Need to Read to Write the Book You Want to Write

An indispensable, jargon-free handbook for any author who wants to fulfil their potential in writing a novel or short story.

The little known story of the inseparable brother and sister, lights of the Romantic circle, privately haunted by madness Wordsworth thought that if there were such a thing as a good man, it would be Charles Lamb, while Hazlitt believed Mary Lambto be the only sensible woman he knew. The couple's literary reputation rested partly on the famous Tales from Shakespeare. And yet there was an unhappier side: Charles was an alcoholic and Mary, in an attack of insanity, stabbed their mother to death. This fascinating account reaches to the heart of early nineteenth century London, meeting its eccentrics and its literary giants. It also visits the city's darker corners, where poverty stalks rented rooms and madhouses conceal terrible abuse.

A Biography of Charles and Mary Lamb

A Double Life

'Once upon a time, perhaps two thousand years ago, or maybe only yesterday, a man stood under a tree and waited. As he waited, people began to arrive: old people, young people, children, parents with babies, and even a couple of dogs. They settled on the cool grass under the shade of the great tree, all around the Storyteller, for that is who the man was. Once a year, everyone gathered round to hear him tell this story.'The storyteller's tale is one we think we all know: the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of a very special baby. But do we know it? This unique retelling weaves ancient nativity legends -- now largely forgotten -- into the familiar narrative.Its short chapters make it ideal for nightly Advent readings or bedtime storytelling. Children will rediscover the wonder and sparkle of this great story by hearing it from some less common angles. Even parents will find it both moving and surprising, and may see the traditional narrative through fresh eyes.

Sarah Burton

About

Books

Join the club