Jan Foster

The Stain of Magical Places

If you close your eyes and open your imagination, it is easy to picture them in such places. Walking the paths you now tread. Staring at the vista before you. The noises and smells are often a reach further, but still possible.

The truth, the myth and storytelling

Fictionalising historical events has been around since the dawn of storytelling. Myths and legends tell of heroic deeds, transgressions of individuals and in some instances, weave tales of disasters that wipe out entire races.

The world according to Henry Fitzroy

I didn’t realise how liberating it would be to give up my soul, and so I would say my greatest strength is that I have no compunction about doing what is necessary to achieve my given purpose.

The uncomfortable similarities between Henry V and Putin

I didn’t set out to write a story about war with Destiny Awaiting, it just happened. It was supposed to be a simple enemies-to-lovers romance, set in a time of danger and adversity where strangers could observe the history and fulfil their destiny. It is, on one level. I wanted to highlight how conflict drivesContinue reading “The uncomfortable similarities between Henry V and Putin”

Destiny Awaiting – Sneak Peak!

. Centuries ago, the Vikings – invaders, and destroyers from even further North – proclaimed their dominion over these islands with castles and brochs. Aioffe’s mouth dried. Perhaps some were still used by those who ruled here. Stone constructs were so different to the treetop dwellings of her kind.
“Perhaps don’t stray too close to them, then,” she muttered to herself. Entanglement with humans would likely get her into even more trouble.

Witches, stereotypes, power and politics

How did this, an instantly recognisable, image of what a witch looks like come about?

Magic and spirituality were, for the majority of cultures, an accepted part of life.

Writing for inclusivity

If you want to start at the grass-roots level with inclusive writing, you need to consider issues which affect the widest proportion of readers. And by readers, I mean everyone who currently reads, as well as the 20% of people for whom reading is a challenge.

A Season for Romance

What has stuck with me during the following days as I digested the anthology as a whole, is that within all of the stories, what I missed as a young reader maybe, is that romance equates to hope.

The Interview

There is a cruel twist to her lips and I can’t help stare at them. Then, her tone is almost playful, “Well, we can’t keep the readers waiting now, can we?”