Have recently returned from a walking holiday on Madeira, during which we got the chance to see round Reid’s Hotel, where Winston Churchill famously stayed. The distinctive pink walled building still stands out on the hill at the west end of Funchal’s esplanade, but as you might expect, is quite dwarfed by some of the modern hotel developments.
Writing-wise, after that refreshing break, I’ve returned to the last round of edits for my latest book, which is a biography. With historical fiction I often draw inspiration from real historical figures and events to create my fictional leads, but the story comes from my imagination, so I can take it where I want. To portray the life of a real person, the challenge has been to give a rounded picture when the source material has gaps (eg there’s often less about the person’s childhood), or major differences of opinion as to what the true facts of a situation was. Should the author give a warts and all picture? If the author sympathises with the subject will this inevitably come across (as bias, possibly?) I’m still working on it. More details next month when I’m clearer about publication date.
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