Ali Bacon

Letters in Historical Fiction: Annie Elliott and Mrs Dickens I’ve blogged before about letters in historical fiction (and a longer essay here) and I’m happy to report a newcomer to the list of letter-inspired authors. Annie Elliott is almost local to me and …

Blog post and book review today. Letters in #historicalfiction, this time what Charles Dickens wrote to his wife. Debut novel by Annie Elliot.
alibacon.com/2026/03/13/l...

Grateful to Deb for her words 😊
www.linen-press.com/shop/in-the-...

Absolutely!

Congratulations! Your previous on literary networks was so useful 🙂

Maybe not in the same league or genre but hey, I am on the same page as Ian Rankin and Irvine Welsh 😆 #bookreviews #theabsentheart #scottishwriting #thebottleimp
Read the review here www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2025/12/the-...

Today I'm shouting out a group of historical fiction authors all with great books on sale now.
Samantha Wilcoxson, Alice McVeigh, Liz Harris and more.
Check out books.bookfunnel.com/hwfchristmas...
#booksforchristmas
#historicalfiction
⭐️🎄⭐️🎄

Introducing #writingcommunity and #booksky to @malagopress.bsky.social and our new spooky story book! Quite Weird www.amazon.co.uk/Quite-Weird-...

@bmthwritingfest.bsky.social celebrates #RobertLouisStevenson - 175th birthday at his former home, where he wrote #DrJekyllandMrHyde and #Kidnapped.

13th November - performances, readings, poetry from Stevenson experts. @alibacon.bsky.social

www.bournemouthwritingfestival.co.uk/networking-e...

Pretty excited about this one!

📢 For writers of #HistoricalFiction

Ali Bacon's recent release, THE ABSENT HEART, is a splendid example of the use of historical letters in a fictional context. In TAH, some of the letters are authentic while some she has created that superbly match the style of the characters. 💙📚

Signed, sealed, delivered: using letters in historical fiction Letters can be a powerful tool in your novel. Here's how to use them effectively.

Up today on the History Quill: my take on letters in historical fiction ✍️ #amwriting #amreading #writingtips
thehistoryquill.com/signed-seale... #amwriting #amreading

Authors' Favourite Jane Austen Books YouTube video by Books and Things

Shout out to author and Austenite @katiejlumsden.bsky.social for this video of authors talking about their fave Jane Austen novels, and for including me!
#janeaustenbooks
Check out Katie's books too. Regency romp or Victorian gothic - just the ticket 📚☺️
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTC8...

Fanny Stevenson Barges In: #BeyondtheBook #TheAbsentHeart When I first encountered Fanny Osbourne, she appeared as a footnote in Louis Stevenson’s story—emotionally fragile, grieving, and overshadowed. But the more I read, the more she demanded centre stage. Like my own heroine Frances Sitwell, Fanny was shaped by loss and resilience, but unlike Frances, she courted controversy and defied convention with unapologetic strength. Camille Peri’s A Wilder Shore and other biographies have only deepened my fascination with this remarkable woman—adventurer, writer, and the fierce force behind one of literature’s most celebrated figures. Without Fanny, there may have been no Louis as we know him.

Fanny Stevenson Barges In: #BeyondtheBook #TheAbsentHeart

When I first encountered Fanny Osbourne, she appeared as a footnote in Louis Stevenson’s story—emotionally fragile, grieving, and overshadowed. But the more I read, the more she demanded centre stage. Like my own heroine Frances Sitwell,…

Well really, who needs Baltimore? 😂

Love hearing more of the authorial backstory of my friend @alibacon.bsky.social's historical fiction adventures. 👏

#booksky #HistoricalFiction

Which to choose!? The Physic Garden by Catherine Czerkawska is a gem. The Betrayal of Thomas True by A. J. West an absolute blast. Clear by Carys Davies is beautiful.

How did I end up writing the lives of eminent (but sometimes neglected) Victorians? Find out on the @nansjar23.bsky.social blog 😊🙏 I
nancyjardine.blogspot.com/2025/07/welc...

The Absent Heart & friends looking good today at #stroudindiebookfair though I say it myself.😊 .
#histfic #biographicalfiction

thank you @dublinwriter.bsky.social for an evening of marvellous readings and introducing me to these great writers 😊🙏 #flashfiction #shortstories #writersread

Come listen/watch 10 brilliant readers @ #WritersReading Thur 26th June 7pm to 9pm UK. First half readers: Roz Levens, @bronwengriffiths.bsky.social Lindy Newns, @alibacon.bsky.social & @jankaneen1.bsky.social
- Get your free audience ticket at tickettailor.com/events/dubli...
#writing #reading

Fancy a day out in Stroud? Combine it with some bookchat, author meets and general literary fun! 📚 I'll be there with @alibacon.bsky.social & other JustWrite Bristol authors #StroudIndieBookFair

Sidney Colvin: an unlikely hero #BeyondtheBook #TheAbsentHeart Adapted from my my Beyond the Book newsletter of September 2024. Sign up for future issues here. If Frances Sitwell is my heroine, who is the hero? It would be easy to argue for Louis Stevenson (who has a way of taking centre stage even when he isn’t present!) but chief contender for male lead must surely be the third member of that curious love triangle, Sidney Colvin, Frances’s ‘companion’ for most of her life, also R.L.S.’s friend and literary mentor.

Sidney Colvin: an unlikely hero #BeyondtheBook #TheAbsentHeart

Adapted from my my Beyond the Book newsletter of September 2024. Sign up for future issues here. If Frances Sitwell is my heroine, who is the hero? It would be easy to argue for Louis Stevenson (who has a way of taking centre stage…

Ah, controversial! I know many worthy authors who go indie. but I'll leave it there. Good to talk!

By the way, I've never gone beyond the trusted friend group 😅

I see where you are coming from. I think it's partly to do with more authors self publishing and wanting a professional level of editing (or, as a corollary, hoping to please traditional gatekeepers with a more finished product! 📖📕📚

Feedback is feedback is feedback. The author may do (or not do) with it what they will. I can stick to my vision and often do, but if Im consistently alienating readers in some way, I'd rather know!

21 lovely reviews 😊
Keep 'em coming I say! 😁🙏
#historicalfiction #bookreviews #indiepublishers

Take Four Books - Andrew O'Hagan - BBC Sounds Three-times Booker nominated Scottish author Andrew O’Hagan on his novel Caledonian Road.

Great follow-up to reading the stupendous #CaledonianRoad by Andrew O'Hagan, his BBC Sounds episode on Take 4 books. #stateofthenation #litfic www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

For anyone unclear about beta readers, this is the biz. And a reminder of the importance of feedback (feedback, feedback) on your novel. #amwriting #writingtips