Tower of Vengeance

Join Dr Samantha Ward-Smith at Shoe Lane Library for an insightful talk on how the archaeological discoveries and historical records of a building can influence historical fiction, in particular her debut novel Tower of Vengeance.

In this talk, Dr Ward-Smith will discuss the Tower of London during the Medieval period. She demonstrates how an historical fiction writer researches history, architecture, archaeology, society, chronicles, records and rolls to establish authenticity and immerse the reader in the period, but also ensures that the book’s historical facts are worn lightly to enhance rather than overwhelm.

Samantha Ward-Smith recently published her debut novel Tower of Vengeance, a historical fiction novel set in the Tower of London in 13th Century. She lived in London for over 30 years working in investment banking, also pursuing a PhD in English at Birkbeck. For the past 13 years, she has also been a volunteer at the Tower, which has provided her with invaluable insights into its history—many of which deeply influenced her writing. She now lives in Kent by the sea with her two cats, Belle and Rudy.

This event talk will be delivered both in person and online via Zoom. For more details and to book tickets, please click the Book Tickets link.

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