England

In May I made my annual return to England, a trip that--as usual--combined time with family and friends, touring places familiar and new, visiting museums and galleries, other cultural activities, and researching the next novel. 

Dividing my countryside time between Somerset and Gloucestershire, I revisited some of the locations for A Change of Location and Sequins and Starlight. Mostly I was seeing special people and spending time in various villages and parish churches connected to my family history. Each one deserves a blog post of its own. 

One of my family's Somerset churches 

The Avebury standing stones, unchanged from my last visit

The roses everywhere were magnificent, at peak bloom. I spent a great deal of time in National Trust gardens and those at other historic locations.

The Queens' Garden, Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire

I found plenty of roses in London as well...

Hyde Park Rose Garden

One of the most delightful experiences was taking another Behind the Scenes Tour at the Royal Ballet. Every one is slightly different, which is why I repeat them, and so enlightening, and even affirming of the dance profession as depicted in Sequins and Starlight. That evening, I attended a performance of Onegin, one of my favourite narrative ballets--which of course explains why it's so important to Ellie in Sequins and Starlight!

Home of the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera

The auditorium before the performance

Fumi Kaneko danced Tatiana, Vadim Muntagirov was Onegin

Afterwards, I waited at the Stage Door to congratulate Gary Avis, who performed Prince Gremin

With Gary, at the Stage Door in Floral Street

There were many trip highlights, especially in London. We made a point of celebrating the release of Sequins and Starlight at the Ritz Hotel. The Rivoli Bar features in the story, it's where Ellie and Dan meet the first time, and return later. The bar also appears in A Change of Location.

In the Rivoli Bar

Rivoli Bar entrance

There's so much more I'd like to share, time permitted. The rest of this month will be extremely busy, I'm presenting at two writers' conferences, one regional (the 603 Conference an easy drive away) and one international (Historical Novel Society, Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas.) My travel schedule has been extremely hectic since March: Chicago, Atlanta, England...) So after HNS, I'm storing my luggage for as long as I can! 

And writing. A lot.

Travelogue: May in England

 My annual return to Great Britain took place in May. It was, as usual, a multi-purpose trip, a combination of personal (family, friends) and professional (book promotion, research) activities.

At London's Ritz Hotel, setting for scenes in A Change of Location

My base for the first week was a farm in a West Sussex village where an ancestor of mine had lived. It was perfectly situated for revisiting favourite gardens and country houses and castles. 

Sussex farmhouse

View from the terrace

A church where many of my ancestors were baptised, married & buried

Petworth House, a baroque masterpiece

Arundel Castle gardens

A Sussex pheasant, posing for me

Mural at Wakehurst Place

The fine weather followed me to London, where my schedule was considerably more packed, and the flowers were just as beautiful.

Lobby arrangement at the Langham Hotel

The Hyde Park Rose Garden

Queen Mary's Rose Garden, Regent's Park

I spent a lot of time in art galleries. 

The new portrait of King Charles by Jonathan Yeo

Angelica Kauffman exhibit at the Royal Academy

I spent a morning at Westminster Abbey, touring the Jubilee Galleries and paying respects at the grave of characters in my next historical biographical novel.

In Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey

Spending time with friends was a highlight of my time in London. I met an author friend for lunch at the Royal Academy. Dined at the historic, beautifully renovated home of another author friend. And enjoyed an evening of delicious French food and conversation at Brasserie Zédel.

Brasserie Zédel

Chanteuse and musicians

The Ritz Hotel and its Rivoli Bar will appear in the next contemporary novel, as in A Change of Location.

The Long Gallery, Ritz Hotel

The Palm Court, Ritz Hotel

Entrance to the Rivoli Bar, Ritz Hotel

As it was last year, the wisteria was blooming everywhere ... making possible this juxtaposition of my book's cover and the lovely purple fronds.

Now it's June, and the roses and perennials in my own garden are bursting forth. I'll be revising the completed follow-up novel to A Change of Location and incorporating recent research into the next historical manuscript.

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer!

Author on the Move

Recently I returned to England, for numerous reasons--several personal, some professional. The weather, as evidenced by these photographs, was perfect--only five minutes of rain the entire time I was there, which fell on me during a short walk to the village post office. But no more after that!

The flowers were abundant, especially the wisteria in Somerset.

At Barrington Court

At Forde Abbey

Over the border in Dorset: Forde Abbey, so many water features

Montacute House, Somerset-every time I'm there, it's sunny!

        

Montacute

Many of the places on my itinerary were chosen because of ancestral connections. I hadn't been to Glastonbury since my teen years, and it was wonderful to visit the Abbey ruins again. The famous Glastonbury Holy Thorn was flowering.

Holy Thorn

Glastonbury Abbey

About a fortnight before my arrival in the family village that serves as my base, the little river running through it burst its banks during heavy rains. By the time I was there, it was gently flowing once more, but homes and businesses suffered greatly 

Our little river, no longer flooding

In the village

I visited a series of ancestral properties--and churches.

My ancestors once owned this manor house.

In a different village church, my relatives' effigies

An ancestress in another church

Moving on to Gloucestershire, I visited many more family manors and churches. And I had the opportunity to stay in this one!

View of the rear facade from the canal

Making myself at home in the former family manor house

After leisurely time in the countryside, I had a rather busy schedule in London. 

View of Mayfair and more from a hotel skybar

I appeared in the documentary being filmed in this location

At the British Library, I renewed my Reader's Card

Visiting my favourite rose garden, in Hyde Park

I'm always glad to return to the Ritz!

This grand staircase at the Ritz appears in my contemporary novel

A highlight of my time in the city was attending the exhibition "Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians" at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace.

A magnificent court gown

I was framed!

A double portrait by Hogarth, with special significance for me

Beautiful laburnum

My return home plunged me into plenty of activity--two writers' conference (presenting at both), several upcoming media interviews (print and broadcast), having my author photos updated, and my annual Rose Party/Open Garden, when neighbours and friends come to admire my 190+ rose bushes at peak bloom. Oh, and finishing Novel #17, the sequel to my contemporary novel. Plus spending leisure time at the lake house, with my husband and our dog.

On the lakeshore with Dot