Medieval Girl Power in Action

What brings you great joy as a writer?

There are many things that bring me joy as a writer. Having the idea for the novel was an exciting, defining moment. The idea started as a song, then grew to become a story, then kept growing. I call that moment my ‘Big Bang Moment’ in which the universe of ‘The Song of Artemis’ came into being. My debut novel covers 600-627AD and I am planning to end the series around 664AD with the Synod of Whitby.

There was a lot of hard work involved in completing my debut novel. It was joyful to receive positive feedback on my work throughout the process. There was an exciting moment when my book went live on Amazon for the first time. After that, it has been awesome to receive positive feedback from my readers. Each time I received a positive review on Amazon or Goodreads I experienced a sense of joy and gratitude that nurtured my confidence in my writing.

It has been joyous to connect with other authors. Theodore Brun helped me with mentoring the first draft of ‘The Saxon Sword’, the wonderful Alina Rubin helped me with formatting and with marketing, and the historian and author Edoardo Albert kindly provided me with a cover quote and my first review.

Other authors have kindly reviewed my novel, shared my novel to their blog pages, invited me onto their podcast show, and I am very grateful to be invited to share my journey here with Paper Lanterns. It is joyful to witness other authors reach out and support a newcomer, I have felt welcomed into the world of Historical Fiction.

Since publishing in August 2024, most of my books have sold on Amazon. It was a joyful moment when my local independent bookstore (Hillsborough Bookshop) agreed to stock my book, and I went to visit my book and take photos of course!

Do you listen to music while you write or edit? If so, what’s on your writing playlist?

I have Autism and ADHD. For me, this means I need to hyper-focus when writing or editing. Any background noise, even music I like, is a distraction. I need a quiet space, and I turn my phone onto airplane mode.

Music has always been an important part of my life. I studied music at A-Level, I completed a degree in Ethnomusicology at SOAS, and I trained as a music therapist at Guildhall.

Early on in my writing, I decided to write some traditional folk songs into my novel. A Scottish-Gaelic parting song ‘Oidhche Mhath Leibh (Goodnight To You)’, features in Part One of ‘The Saxon Sword’ as a Lullaby. I obtained permission from the Scottish song writer Andy Hunter to use part of his wild and beautiful song ‘Up and Awa’ with the Laverock’ a song about fishing.

When taking breaks from writing I listen to Bach’s Goldberg Variations to reach a state of calmness. If I need to write a battle scene, then before writing, I listen to ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ by Wagner. For research purposes I have listened to Scottish Gaelic songs including Psalms sung in Gaelic. I have listened to spoken word on Radio Cymru and Radio nan Gaidheal so I can hear the rise and fall and feel of the spoken language.

I have an audio book of ‘The Gododdin’ (translated by Gillian Clarke) which includes readings of the verse in Old Welsh as well as Clarke’s own English translation of the famous 6th century poem by the bard Aneirin, who wrote a lament for the fallen 363 British warriors who died in the Battle of Catraeth (probably Catterick) around 600AD. It is likely that this lament would have been sung in the great halls of the British kingdoms.

What period of history do you wish you knew more about? 

I would love to have an in-depth knowledge of British History from 0-700AD. When my history teacher at school asked me to take GCSE History I decided not to after learning the syllabus did not cover ancient Greece and ancient Rome but was more focused on modern history. I have considered undertaking a masters in medieval history, but it hasn’t been possible so far.

0-400AD – I know very little about Romans in Britain, I am amazed by their engineering achievements including the construction of Roman roads, hypocausts, baths, villas, columns of marble, temples to a number of gods, and amphitheaters. And of course, the incredible feat of building Hadrian’s Wall and Antonine’s Wall which were understandably thought by some British peoples to be built by Giants. I enjoy reading the works of Rosemary Sutcliff which include carefully researched stories of Roman legions in Britain. I am currently reading Manda Scott’s series on Boudica which is so brilliantly written and fascinating.

400-500 AD – I have always been fascinated by the legends of King Arthur. I love Mary Stewart’s Merlin series, and a new favourite of mine is ‘Spear’ by Nicola Griffith, these authors have strongly impacted on my own writing. I have enjoyed reading Welsh medieval tales from ‘The Mabinogion’, which include some early Arthurian legends.

500 AD – What was it like for the early Anglisc settlers who settled on the east coast of Britain forming the kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira for example? And what was it like for the British tribes who were displaced by the Anglisc settlers? Where did they go? How did they retaliate? What was it like for Augustine and the monks who came to Kent in the late 6th century? How did they convince Kentish royalty to convert to Christianity? What influence did Bertha, Queen of Kent have on her husband’s conversion?

600 AD – This is the period I am writing in, and my series ‘The Song of Artemis’ will cover 600-664AD. I am grateful for the work of historians such as Edoardo Albert, Max Adams, and Annie Whitehead who write about my chosen time period in great detail. In the early medieval period, also known as ‘The Dark Ages’, the written sources often contradict themselves, and the historians mentioned offer their own thought-provoking interpretations of what might have happened.

Do you tend to write about places you’ve been to, or places you wish you could go to?

I am very limited in mobility due to my disability (Autism/ADHD, Bipolar). I would like to travel to all the places in the UK that I am writing about, but it simply isn’t possible for me to do so. I would love to visit the Inner Hebrides where Part One of ‘The Saxon Sword’ is based. Especially Iona, Mull, Colonsay, Islay, Jura, and Coll. The nature and wildlife there would be spectacular to witness.

Currently, I am researching for the Battle of Heavenfield and it would be marvelous to travel up to Hadrian’s Wall and climb atop of Brady’s Crag and just sit there for a couple of days and write notes. Other sites of interest for me include: Corbridge, Yeavering, Piercebridge, Dere Street, and the Devil’s Causeway.

One summer I went to Bamburgh with my mum, and I will never forget the feeling of walking onto the beach for the first time, the marram grass and sand dunes, seeing that spectacular black rock and sandstone rise up out of the ground. I felt I had stepped into British History as if it were a living thing. I was fortunate enough to meet some archaeologists who told me about the Bamburgh sword and helped me think about the 7th century fortress.

I would love to go to Yns Mon (Anglesey) which has the most incredible history and features in Book Two of my series in which King Cadwallon of Gwynedd faces down the Saxon Kings of Northumbria in a series of battles that change the entire course of British History.

As a disabled writer I feel frustrated at my lack of independent travel. I am also grateful for all the friends and family who have supported me by taking me with them on their adventures. My dear friends Iain and Charlie kindly took me with them to spend a week on Lindisfarne even though I was in the midst of a fairly awful depressive episode of my bipolar (not much fun to be around!). We had some good adventures, including a trip to St. Abb’s Head (founded by Aebbe, daughter of Acha of Deira, who feature in my series). Lindisfarne will feature in Books Two and onwards when Aidan of Iona is sent to be Abbot of the newly founded monastery (c.635). I look forward to writing about it.

Are there TV shows or films that have influenced your writing?

My novel came out of reading books I loved as a child and young adult. I would like to mention one TV show which helped me build a visual understanding of the Saxon world. My son Arthur got me into watching ‘The Last Kingdom’, a Netflix adaptation of ‘The Saxon Stories’ by Bernard Cornwall. Although the series is set in the 9th century, and my own story takes place in the 7th century, I did find the visual world created helpful to my thinking and writing. The set design, costumes, weapons, use of horses and other animals, place names, religions, and how royalty were portrayed all brought the Saxon world to vivid life. We watched battle scenes and skirmishes unfold with the sounds of warfare alongside the visual impact which was helpful when writing my own fighting scenes.

Both my son Arthur, and my daughter Lily have helped me with ideas for my novel and have kindly recommended my novel to their local libraries, it has been great to have their support. My daughter Lily is my TikTok advisor, and she made me an original cover for my novel (photo above). Lily is still cross with me for using the wonderful cover artist Stephen Mulcahey instead of her design, and I would just like to say that both covers are fabulous. I would also like to thank Lea Moran (artist and author) who created the artwork for the sword we used on the front cover.

Laura Gwendolyn Hill is a Sheffield (UK)-based author, musician and mother of two. ‘The Saxon Sword’ is her debut novel, an action and adventure set in early medieval Britain.

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