Historical Fiction - Opening the book in all of us.
Andy Stuart
- Regions:
- South East, East of England, London, East Midlands, Cumbria, Lancashire, Durham, Tyne & Wear, Northumberland
- Notice Period:
- Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
- Type:
- Author / Hobby
- Fee:
- Paid: A small fee to include travel expenses
- Category:
- Entertainment
- Updated:
- 4th July 2025
- Tagged:
- Literary | Creative Writing | Historical Fiction | Family History
Many have a story to tell, be it from family history, possibly inspired by their own hobbies and interests or just from their own reading - perhaps Dickens, JK Rowling, Robert Harris or Terry Pratchett. Lockdowns provided the time for me to start forming my grandad's tales from WW1 and the Russian Civil War into a readable form A book wasn't planned, but I ended up writing so many words that three emerged. Here I discuss my own techniques discovered during the writing process. How to research historical fiction, frameworks used with no planning needed, planting literary 'Easter Eggs' and the fun of doing so. An informal way of getting it done, from an accidental author. I hope to inspire others to start their hidden book - the one they've always been planning to write.
Views: 42 | Enquiries: 0About Andy Stuart
With a collection of anecdotes from Arthur Walton, my Grandad, filed in my head, I knew one day I needed to record them in some way. He died in 1972 (I was 11). Lockdowns created the time to start the project. I started writing without knowing what would emerge and without the intention of a book for publication. I had a beginning, August 1914, and an end, 1920, which gave me a timeline. I needed to fill the gap.
The outcome evolved into far too many words for one book; detailed research into a forgotten part of British History with 'Churchill's Intervention', and a fascination with the Allied involvement in Russia.
My dad was a professional soldier and I was too; in the Royal Artillery, like my Grandad. I left the army in 1987 to work in financial markets for 25 years, travelling extensively to the great city's of the world. I was at school in South East London, I studied Economics at Warwick University, and later for a Master of Business Administration. After a City career in 2006, I co-founded a technology development business.
Having disliked composing imaginative stories at school, I now find inspiration everywhere. My writing weaves fiction within historical facts of real events throughout WW1 and during a period largely forgotten by British historians; our involvement in the Russian Civil War.
Groups I've presented to include The British Legion, Western Front Association, Veterans, Rotary and Probus clubs, Writers groups and U3A. https://www.andystuart.net/
Send a message to the speaker
If you are interested in this talk and wish to contact the speaker, please complete the following form: