Firstly, a little bit about me. I am a Londoner, born and bred, although I have also lived in Norfolk and Sussex, and now reside in Surrey. I have been married to Rankin for 27 years, and have two children, John, aged 17, and Kate, 15. Before becoming a published author in 1989, I was a civil servant, and then a full-time housewife and mother. Because my son has learning difficulties and we could not find a suitable school for him in our area, I educated my children at home from 1991 to 1993, and then from 1994 to 1997 ran my own school for children with special needs – whilst at the same time researching and writing my books! There were times when I felt I should give up sleep in order to get everything done!

I have been interested in history since the 1960’s, when, at the age of 14 I read my first adult novel: a rather lurid book entitled "Henry’s Golden Queen". I was, however, enthralled by it: did people really go on like that in Tudor times, I asked myself, and dashed off to find some real history books – in which I learned that, yes, they did! Thus was born my passion for history. By the time I was fifteen I had produced a reference work on the Tudor dynasty, a biography of Anne Boleyn and several historical plays, and had started work on the research that would done day take form as my first published book, "Britain’s Royal Families".

During the 1970’s, I wrote the original version of "The Six Wives of Henry VIII" – 1000 pages long, single spaced, and typed on both sides of the paper! – and had it rejected on the grounds that there was a world paper shortage: a novel excuse if ever there was one. I also researched the lives of all the mediaeval queens of England, research have since drawn on for several of my b books and for "Eleanor of Aquitaine" in particular. I finally found a publisher in 1988, but am still pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming it all. Since then, I have published seven books, and am now hard at work on the eight. But more of that later.

As an author, I like to see myself promoting what is often refereed to a popular history. This term is sometimes used in a slightly derogatory sense by certain academics, yet there seems no good reason for this. I have no axe to grind against academic historians: authors like myself owe a great debt to them and their excellent researches. Yet history is not the preserve solely of academics; it belongs to us all, and can be accessed by us all; in that sense, it can be popular. Many, many people have a great love for history, and if the recounting of deeds past in a conscientious and accessible way b rings them pleasure, then I account my task well done.

Moreover, in an age in which history is often perceived to be ‘dumbed down', I should also like to feel that I am doing my bit to popularise a subject that has great relevance for us all, for by studying and learning from the past, we can discover more, about ourselves and our civilisation, and make more informed decisions about the future.

Above all, history is full of the most riveting stories. I have often been told that my books read like novels, but I can assure you that there is nothing made up in them! The truth as they say is always stranger than fiction, and nowhere does this become more apparent than in history books. I can never understand, there for why the makers of historical films feel they have to change the facts!

One of the most fascinating stories in history is that of Eleanor of Aquitaine. I have always found her an enigmatic and elusive figure, and writing her biography was a labour of love – something I had wanted to do for over a quarter of a century. Most of my research was done in the 1970’s, when I transcribed all references to mediaeval queens of England from the chronicles in the Rolls Series and other contemporary sources. This huge bank of material lay forgotten for years until a reader wrote begging me to write a book on Eleanor. This inspired me to look again at the research, and I realised that it had the makings of a wonderful project. All that remained was to convince my publishers of this, which took about eight years! However, after the success of "Elizabeth the Queen", it was felt that the time was right for me to write a book about another strong and independent woman in history.

"Eleanor of Aquitaine" has far outsold my expectations, and I suspect that there are many people out there who are as interested in her as I am, and who brought the book on the strength of her reputation alone! On the promotional tour, I met many enthusiasts and I have since received many letters form readers who are astonishingly well- informed. Most people are intrigues as to how I researched the book, although several of those who attended my events raised controversial issues, such as Eleanor’s extra-marital affairs or Richard I’s homosexuality. To all those who came along to listen to my talks, or who wrote to me, may I say it has been wonderful, and highly enlightening, to have the chance to discuss Eleanor with fellow enthusiasts. I am very much looking forward to the promotional tour for the paperback.

At present, I am just completing the research for my new book, 'Henry VIII: King and Court’, which is scheduled for publication in June 2001. In this book, I main to present a detailed and comprehensive study of Henry VIII set within the context of what was undoubtedly the most magnificent court in English history. The book will focus on the personal life of the King, and the lives of these courtiers, and will encompass every aspect of Tudor court life, from state banquets to sanitary arrangements, and from Renaissance influences to amorous intrigues. There will also be a few surprises concerning Henry’s private life!

My next project will her "Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley". When I was researching "Elizabeth the Queen", most of the sources I read led me to the conclusion that Mary, Queen of Scots knew in advance of the plot to murder her husband, Lord Darnley. However, it was felt by my publishers that this was too controversial and assertion to include in a book that was not primarily about Mary, and so it was agreed that I should make it the subject of a separate book and employ the same research and analytic al techniques that I used for an earlier historical whodunit, "The Princes in the Tower". I am therefore keeping an open mind on the subject until I see what the research reveals. I am really excited at the prospect of researching and writing another historical whodunit – they are my favourite kind of books.

I may not be able to reply to all your letters personally but I am always touched that readers take the trouble to write to me.  I can only say a heartfelt thank you for all the positive comments, and welcome the new opportunity to share my enthusiasms with readers, which the Newsletter affords. 

With best wishes,