History Travels, Tudor Jam and Identifying Stone Carved Heads...
Bank Holiday Monday approaches here in the UK and I have a date with my duvet, a big cup of coffee and a pile of history books. What are you up to?
Writing
The book writing is going well, I get excited about it every time I open my computer to write. I’m off to Worcester, Hereford and Plymouth this month on research trips and I’ll be Instagramming while I’m there. Stay tuned for updates!
Over on the blog I’ve looked at the stone heads carved on the abbey gateway in Reading and given my views on who I think they all are. Go have a look and see if you agree with me. I also posted up a new recipe this month for Tudor inspired strawberry and white wine jam. I’ve simplified the method to make it easier and quicker to make, but kept the flavours from the original recipe from 1602.
If there’s something you’d especially like to see me write about on the blog, then send me an email.
Reading
One of the best historical fiction books I’ve read in a while, I received a review copy of The Lost Diary of Samuel Pepys by Jack Jewers. I’ll post up a full review of it soon, but it’s set in Restoration Britain and follows our favourite diarist on an adventure involving murder, plots, secret societies and war. Really good. It’s available to pre-order, it’ll be out later in the summer.
I’m also about half way through a book called Blood and Roses, The Paston Family and the Wars of the Roses by Helen Castor. The Paston letters were written in the mid-1400s and luckily, they survive for us to read them today. They reveal so much about social life, families, work and the royal court - with many of the key figures in the Wars of the Roses mentioned, too. I love reading them, and this book helps put them in their historical context. A great book, check it out if, like me, you love the 1400s.
What have you been reading this month? Leave a comment or drop me an email here - I’m always looking for great books to add to my list.
I was involved in an art expo at Reading’s Thames Valley Park last week, and I drew a live sketch of the building with my marker pens. I had lots of work on display and it was a great afternoon! I loved meeting people and answering questions about my sketches.
Have you had a look at my online shop ? There are prints and originals for sale, including my painting of St Laurence’s church that was recently exhibited in Caversham. You can still see my sketch of Reading Broad Street at The Biscuit Factory in Reading and I have lots of prints and originals at MADEbyTamalia in Caversham. My House portrait workshop was sold out, and I’ll be doing another one in the autumn, ready in time for a one-off gift for a friend (or yourself).
Writing and researching is keeping me busy so far but keep up with my sketching news over at @sketcherjoey Instagram.
Sir Thomas Wyatt’s home goes on sale
Anglo Saxons ate mostly veggies
Can you help with this Birmingham diversity photography project?
Have a great May! See you in June.
Keep in touch in the meantime on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.