Rachel Nightingale's Blog

Riley, M. (1996). Conversations with Anne Rice. Chatto and Windus.

Anne Rice burst onto the world literary scene in 1976 with the publication of her first novel, Interview with the Vampire. The book had a very simple premise: a young reporter interviews a mysterious stranger, Louis, who recounts his life story. Louis, it turns out, is a vampire, and has been alive since the 1700s. He was turned by the vampire Lestat, who over the years evolves from lover to mentor to tormentor.

The novel ...

Growing up, I knew my grandpa wasn’t my real grandfather. It didn’t matter – I still loved him very much. All I knew about my mother’s father was a phrase, tired and worn from much repetition. ‘Your grandfather died on a Japanese boat that was bombed by the Americans during the Second World War.’ It meant nothing to me, and neither did he. Behind those words lay a story lost to time.

Then two years ago my sister happened to mention that during WWII my grandmother was evacuated from Rabaul, Pa...

In 2014, on the island of Texel, North Holland, an incredible discovery was made. Local divers recovered artefacts lost centuries before in one of Texel’s many storms. Among them was a well-preserved silk dress. Dating back to the 17th Century, it is considered one of the most significant textile finds ever. For Lauren Chater, author of The Winter Dress, it was also the inspiration for a moving, beautiful story about the unstoried gaps in history.

The Win...

This year I’ve started a no-spend year. To tell you why, I have to go back in time. In 2013 I completed my PhD. I looked at the way we talk and think about the earth in fiction. My key idea was that if we moved to a biophilic orientation we might take more action related to climate change. Biophilia means loving the earth as something we are part of rather than seeing it as a dead resource, or as a vengeful entity to fear.

My PhD was absolutely torn ...

Wendy Dunn is an Australian author who, up til now, has focused on the Tudor era. (I say up til now because I know she has other stories bubbling away and I am DESPERATE to read them. Hint, hint!) Wendy has felt a lifelong affinity with Anne Boleyn. Her first two books, Dear Heart, How Like You This?, and The Light in the Labyrinth, told Anne’s story. But it was told from the point of view of those who loved her, Thomas Wyatt, and her niece, Kate Carey. Her new series, beginning with Falling Pom...

As the pandemic continues to disrupt lives, there are many Australians overseas who are trying to return home. Barriers include skyrocketing travel costs, and caps placed on hotel quarantine that limit the number of people allowed into the country. There are regular media stories about stranded Australians in Covid hotspots. The situation is completely terrible for those who are experiencing it, but it is not unique. One of the articles I read quoted an ex-pat as saying the government wouldn’t ...

The manuscript I’ve just completed writing is historical fiction. I’ve discovered it’s a fascinating genre to write in. I didn’t study history at university, so I didn’t understand how addictive it can be when you start researching the past. For those of us who don’t delve into the dark side of humanity by writing crime fiction, historical research also allows us to tap into our inner detective. You start by learning the facts, then a little clue leads you down a pathway to unexpected reveals. I...

The idea of ‘own voices’ in publishing has been in mainstream thought since at least 2018. It’s a highly controversial and rapidly evolving area of debate. At its core is the question, should stories about minorities only be written by minorities? If you’re interested in reading more, there are lots of articles about it (such as this one). I’m not going to delve into them here. Instead, I’m focusing on why I think the publishing industry needs to give more consideration to ways it can be more in...

As a writer, I’m pretty familiar with building a fantasy world. In the Tarya Series I began with the Italy of the Renaissance, then added my own spin to it in order to build a rich magical place where readers would believe artists could manipulate dreams to create magic. I’m starting on a new kind of world building now though. And I thought I’d take you along with me, if you’d like to come. This time, the world is not just inside my mind…

It all began with a Christmas gift….

I’ve ma...

I’ve just received a diagnosis that I’m on the autism spectrum (with some inattentive ADHD thrown in for good measure). When I think about the difficulties I experienced when I was young, I want to go back and give that confused, sad little girl a big hug. Here’s what I might say.

Hey kiddo, I know sometimes things are pretty rough. You think a lot about how you’re not like the other kids. You spend a lot of energy trying to work out what you’re doing wrong, and how you can fix it. Or even wo...