Alistair Forrest is a historical fiction author with a lifelong fascination for the ancient world. His novels are inspired by real events, places, and people from history — brought to life with characters who feel the heat, the fear, the ambition and courage of their time. He grew up in the Middle East, which probably explains his early obsession with history. After returning to the UK, he spent much of his career in journalism and magazine editing, working for newspapers such as the South Wales Echo and later editing titles in travel, photography and natural health. He was also principal of a PR company for a decade. He lives on the beautiful island of Alderney with his wife, the illustrator and children’s author Lynda Adlington.

 

In 2007 I found a photograph of my British mother actress Barbara Greene, and uncle Kent taken just after she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment and before he left with the BEF for France. I was struck by their innocence and calm before what I knew would be a terrible storm — she to survive over 78 bombing raids and he to be rescued from Dunkirk. Looking at their photograph made me realize that I knew little about their lives before I was born and needed to learn more.  My new book, “Both Sides of the Pond, My Family’s War: 1933-1946,” took me 18 years to research and write and for me was time well spent. We honor those who came before us by learning their stories, and I am gratified and relieved the book has been received well.

NYT best-selling author Evan Thomas writes, “Barbara Lawrence has given us an intimate, harrowing, and vivid portrait of two young people engulfed by a world war….From heady and improbable love affairs amidst the falling bombs to the gritty deprivations of daily life, it’s all here in a timeless well-told tale.”  Award-winning author Barbara Lazear Ascher notes, “I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. History and the complexity of human relationship unfold with uncommon grace.”

I’ve written 9 books and many articles on topics ranging from eating disorders in males, education, issues of class between rural Mainers and summer visitors, and now World War II.  What links this eclectic collection is that I write about what I care about, what I want to learn about, and to better understand myself.

I earned a BA in anthropology from Bennington College, an MA in sociology from New York University, and an Ed.D. in Administration, Policy and Planning from Boston University and taught courses in anthropology and sociology, research methods, and writing non-fiction and memoir at Northeastern and Lesley Universities in Massachusetts. In addition to teaching, I have have worked for the Department of Social Services and the Housing Development Administration in New York, directed a small museum in Maine, co-run a brokerage and construction company, consulted for the Rural School and Community Trust and KnowledgeWorks, and started four non-profit organizations supporting the environment and students. When not working, I love to garden and walk, which are pastimes I learned from my British mother. I live in Maine in the United States with my longtime parter Bob.

Shona (S.G.) MacLean was born in Inverness and brought up in the Scottish Highlands where her parents were hoteliers. She has a PhD in History at the University of Aberdeen. She started writing fiction while bringing up her 4 children, and has published two series of historical crime fiction under the name S.G. MacLean. She has twice won the CWA Historical Dagger, and her standalone Jacobite novel, The Bookseller of Inverness, was Waterstones 2023 Scottish Book of the Year. She lives in the Highlands with her husband and their dog. Distinguishing from her historical crime fiction, she is now writing standalone historical fiction under her own name, Shona MacLean.

LC Winter likes to give the reader a shiver and writes lyrical gothic historical stories that explore relationships and place. After studying for her English degree many years ago, Libby went on to a career as a gardener, demonstrating that, if nothing else, she’s not afraid to change her mind. She has spent many years wrangling the gardens at various historic homes, feeding a love for the past and walking through it every day. She writes stories in her head as she gardens, pondering the fact they come out so dark when she’s surrounded by beauty – there might be something about cycles of life, death, and decay in there. Her debut novel, Spider, Spider will be published in March 2026.

Geraldine Roberts is a critically acclaimed author and historian specialising in the glitzy Regency era. Her books are meticulously researched from original letters and diaries, focusing on the achievements of real women and the complex dynamics within their marriages.

The Angel and the Cad, was published by Macmillan in 2015. It tells the shocking true story of a high society scandal that gripped the Regency public and culminated in a landmark court case. It was The Times Book of the Week and BBC History Magazine book of the month.

The Rebel and the Peacemaker, will be published worldwide by Canelo in June 2026. It is about relationships, identity and the art of diplomacy.

Geraldine has always lived in East London, and enjoys nipping into town for shows, exhibitions, restaurants, or to simply stroll around marvelling at the sights. She has a Master’s Degree in History (with distinction) from Queen Mary University of London, plus a Foundation in Performing Arts from The City Literature Institute (City Lit). She has written a number of short plays and scripts, and is a member of a theatre improvisation group that meets once a week to create scenes, sketches and short plays.

Peter Tonkin retired after 42 years as a teacher of English, History and Law (which he also examined for the Oxford and Cambridge board) in March 2016. During his time as a teacher he published 38 novels: 30 in the Mariner series of international action-adventures. 4 in the Master of Defence series of Elizabethan murder mysteries, and 4 occasional novels including the international best-seller Killer and the vampire story The Journal of Edwin Underhill. Since retiring, he has added another 2 titles to the Master of Defence series, written 5 spy stories set in Ancient Rome (Caesar’s Spies) tracing events between Caesar’s murder and the battle of Philippi and three murder mysteries set during the build-up to the Trojan War (The Trojan Murders). He has just completed the fifth of a proposed six-book series (the Queen’s Intelligencer series) following the adventures of Elizabethan spy and assassin Robert Poley, an actual historical figure most famous for the unmasking of the Babington Plot – which led to the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (Shadow of a Queen). Sharpe Books October 2025)- and the murder of playwright Christopher Marlowe (proposed title Shadow of a Spy). Tonkin and his wife of 45 years Charmaine, who is also his editor, travel widely researching his books. Since their two sons set up home for themselves, Peter and Charmaine have travelled more widely still. They have recently returned from Madrid where they visited Philip II’s Escorial monastery/palace researching Shadow of Poison (long-listed for the inaugural Spymasters literary prize) and Shadow of a Spy, the final book in the series. They have visited many places associated with the Queen of Scots including Edinburgh, Jedburgh and Carlisle researching the most recent book Shadow of a Queen. They have also visited Ischia, Capri, Rome many times, Paris and Marseilles in recent years, as well as Egypt, which they first visited in search of Cleopatra, but to which they now return regularly, currently in preparation for a new project to begin after the Queen’s Intelligencer series is complete. Peter Tonkin’s novels and short stories are listed on Fantastic Fiction. They are also presented in many editions on: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001K8TDVS/allbooks